Castiarina picta
Meaning of name: The name Castiarina is derived from that of Francois Louis Nompar de Castelnau. Picta is from the Latin word pictus, meaning painted, coloured or adorned.
Distribution: This beetle is found primarily in the south of Western Australia.
Description: This beetle is approximately 10 millimetres long.
Remarks: This beetle has been seen eating the flowers of Pericalymma ellipticum and Philotheca spicata.
These photographs were taken in September and October.
Associations: Pericalymma ellipticum and Philotheca spicata.
References: Identification courtesy of David Knowles.
Atlas of Living Australia https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:43c91ea5-cb98-4967-b905-514a789a9a7a#overview
Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.
Castiarina: Australia’s richest jewel beetle genus. Shelley Barker. 2006.
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This Jewel Beetle is sitting on the flower of Burchardia congesta.
It would appear that Castiarina picta eats the flowers of Pericalymma ellipticum.
This colour form doesn't have the yellow spot at the end of the abdomen. Note the brown object at the end of the abdomen. This is the paramere; part of the male genitalia.
This shows the beetle's underside.
