Temognatha variabilis

Temognatha variabilis
Temognatha variabilis. Mounted specimen.
A live individual of Temognatha variabilis.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Buprestidae
Genus:	Temognatha
Species:	T. variabilis
Binomial name
Temognatha variabilis (Donovan, 1805)
Synonyms
Stigmodera variabilis Donovan, 1805 Buprestis kingi Macleay, 1827 Stigmodera nigripennis Gory and Laporte, 1838 Stigmodera quinquefossulata Théry, 1911 Stigmodera unifasciata Gory and Laporte, 1838 Stigmodera cyaniventris Kerremans, 1900 Buprestis variabilis Donovan, 1805

Temognatha alternata, commonly known as the variable jewel beetle, is a beetle of the family Buprestidae.

Description

Temognatha alternata can reach a length of about 35 millimetres (1.4 in). The body colour is highly variable, ranging from yellowish to dark red. Helytra are punctato-striate and may have black markings. The thorax usually show a median black area with yellow or bright red markings on each side. Head and legs are black with greenish reflections.

Larvae live in She-oak tree of Casuarina species (Casuarinaceae).

Distribution

This species can be found in southeastern Australia.

See also

• Woodboring beetle

Bibliography

• Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p217 (Stigmodera variabilis ).
• Insects of Australia, George Hangay & Pavel German, Reed New Holland, 2000, p72.
• Peterson, Magnus., 1996: Aspects of female reproductive biology of two southwestern Australian Temognatha species Coleoptera Buprestidae. Records of the Western Australian Museum, 182: 203-208