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Eucalyptus Leaf Beetle - ? male

Paropsisterna variicollis

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

This Chrysomelid beetle is similar to the one in my previous spotting
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/38508117. However, there was a ring of black on the posterior margin of the head.
I am wondering of if this is a male beetle, given the similarity to beetles in these weblinks:
http://lifeunseen.com/index2_item_4288.php

http://morwellnp.pangaean.net/cgi-bin/show_species.cgi?find_this=Parops…

Habitat:

Eucalyptus tree.

Notes:

These beetles have variable elytra colour and pattern.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
MartinL
I have read that P. variicollis always has a black ventral body and legs while other similar ones such as I found at Wicks Reserve are yellow to brown. This pigmentation may contribute to an explanation for the black neck that you observe and may assist us in identification of P. variicollis. http://www.flickr.com/photos/zosterops/6115337928/
Leuba Ridgway
Martin & Lori, I think you're right-they don't usually extend their necks ( so we don't see the dark shaded part). I'll have to observe a few this season and hope to see a few mating ! My other theory was that they develop the dark colouring during mating season, perhaps ?? More observations required, I think...
lori.tas
Now that you mention it, I always see them with their heads pulled in. But maybe that's because I'm staring at them/pointing a camera at them.
MartinL
I like your theory Leuba I assume that both genders have black necks but only males show them because they had their heads down because of sitting on a convex surface. So how would we test that theory? http://www.flickr.com/photos/66925960@N08/10016876863/

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Beetles of Southeastern Australia

Tags

Photographed
PublishedSeptember 30, 2013

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