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GT stripe beetle

Paropsisterna

Description:

An orange leaf beetle with purple GT stripes. This is a very unusual color pattern and an exciting new sighting for me.

Notes:

The broad dark line along the elytral suture causes me to think this is a close ally of Paropsisterna hectica, an uncommon and montane species from Victoria and NSW which is green. http://www.bowerbird.org.au/observations... http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:b... Another related possibility is Paropsisterna aurea which has a closer color match but the longtitudinal purple bands is novel. This species is endemic to Tasmania. https://www.flickr.com/photos/zosterops/...

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7 Comments

Leuba Ridgway
Leuba Ridgway 9 years ago

Missed this one - just fantastic Martin.

MartinL
MartinL 9 years ago

Yes Mark. Stringybark. I'm not sure which one but rather coarsebark textture (like ironbark) and glossy, broad and short leaves.

MartinL
MartinL 9 years ago

You seem to do well in caryards, Mark. I spend a lot of time at Warrandyte Reserve by the Yarra. Those beetles do get repetitive but there is always something new, so far, especially when we do 'armchair splitting'. Heyfield (actually Coongulla) is more montane and does yield different species. I have found Paropsis maculata last season and this one today.

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 9 years ago

Great Martin. We might have to do some touring to find some of these different ones. This one was found on eucy ??

MartinL
MartinL 9 years ago

Thank you Vinny
Thank you Mac.
I suspect this might be a teneral Paropsisterna hectica I will monitor it to determine if it has a color change as the shell hardens.

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 9 years ago

Nice one Martin

Vinny
Vinny 9 years ago

Cool spotting, I Like the GT stripes!

MartinL
Spotted by
MartinL

Victoria, Australia

Spotted on Sep 8, 2014
Submitted on Sep 8, 2014

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