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Reticulated Beetle

Distocupes varians

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

A brown beetle about 10mm long (excl antennae) with pitted elytra and dark brown linear streaks. Antennae appeared to have 10 segments. Eyes prominent.
The "reticulation" refers to the minute almost square (subquadrate) pitting on the elytra - these are where the elytra thin out to a translucent sheath. Would love to have a look at this against light.

Habitat:

Forests and grasslands

Distribution
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/CUPEDIDAE

Notes:

My thanks to Tom15 for the ID. Larvae of these beetles are said to be dead wood (previously attacked by fungi) borers.
This species of reticulated beetle has been found as far south as Canberra and is also seen in Tasmania.
Four species of Adinolepis Neboiss are found in south eastern Australia but I am not able to get any further information.
http://tolweb.org/Cupedidae/8999

Reference Links:

Distocupes, Coleoptera | What Bug Is That?

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
Leuba Ridgway
Thanks Martin. Did not know that this little guy would be quite so interesting. I must have a look at your mission for S.E aussie beetles to see the variety.
MartinL
Neat spotting Leuba. Beetles have 500 families and 121 of them in Australia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetle Its nice to have another of these represented.
Leuba Ridgway
Tom, Thanks so much for having a look at this and for the ID. I am amazed how like the bugguide specimen my spotting looks. I keep think of a miniature squid, the way the antennae are held close together and the prominent eyes ! I will check their occurrence here and put in the ID. Thanks again !
Tom15
It's a Reticulated Beetle family Cupedidae and looks like one found in North America, but yours is a different species. http://bugguide.net/node/view/670027/bgimage

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Beetles of Southeastern Australia

Tags

Photographed
PublishedFebruary 24, 2013

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