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Project Noah Nature School
Paropsisterna variicollis
This slightly orange tinted golden leaf beetle was about 10 mm long ( although it looked smaller). It had glossy head, thorax and elytra. The head showed a black posterior rim which was hidden under the pronotum for most of the time. The pronotum had no markings at all. Each elytron had fine pale lines running from base to apex ad minute pale spots all over. The translucent inner margins of the elytra revealed the dark colour of the underwings beneath them (Pic 3 & Pic 5). The small triangular scutellum was black. Legs and antennae were black. The underside of the beetle was black.
Spotted on a eucalyptus tree in a park.
This beetle closely resembles P.cloelia
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
Similar photos and description are also seen in publications by the Department of Primary Industries from New South Wales and Queensland (Australia).
I believe that my beetle is the same species as Patrick's
.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/114...
My thanks to Martin Lagerway for the ID and information. Mating beetle confirm this !!!
Also, the elytra are only very slightly striate. I missed the striations completely but noticed them on Mark's pics. This discussion makes it very interesting !
I am still confused Martin but take your point. Jenny (Wimm/Vic) has got all three forms as Paropsisterna sp. and my beetle is 100% same as Jenny's including the little arrow-head marking in the midline at rear (pic 4)
http://www.ipernity.com/group/australian...
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/wimmera.wild...
I agree it might not be P.cloelia . Thanks for the ID suggestion. I was just so happy to find something different !
P. varicollis has
1/ black behind head (see pic #2)
2/ grooved striae
3/ convex interstices (spaces inbetween)
P. cloelia has
1/ no black behind eyes
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
2/ no striae grooves
3/ no convexivity of interstices http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
I vote for Paropsis variicollis
Please make the next one easy!
Leuba and Mark
You options are cloelia or varicollis
From the Blackburn (1899) description;
P. variicollis is deeply striate; (this would refer to grooves.)
[[ STRIAE 3. (Biology) anatomy a narrow band of colour or a ridge, groove, or similar, usually occurring in a parallel series]]
P. cloelia is non, or scarcely striate
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
I think BI is correct for P. cloelia
Tasmania has no P. cloelia.
Patrick's image shows striate grooves. His must be varicollis.
I am of the cautious opinion that the lack of pronotal markings is not important.
Yours is not so sure. My problem is that I can find a range of variations
that seem to fit in the middle of these designations.
Spotted on Jan 18, 2015
Submitted on Jan 18, 2015
+1
