Home
 
Beetles

Tenebrionoidea
 
MORDELLIDAE
White-spotted Pintail Beetle
Black Pintail Beetle
 
RHIPIPHORIDAE
Wedge-shaped Beetle
 
TENEBRIONIDAE
Lagriinae 
Brown Darkling Beetle
Black Darkling Beetle
Ground Darkling Beetle
Tenebrioninae  
Chalcopterus Beetle II
Chalcopterus Beetle III
Pie-dish Beetle
Darth Vader Beetle
White-edged Darkling Beetle
Blue Darkling Beetle
Alleculinae 
Black Comb-clawed Beetle
Dark Green Comb-clawed
Striped Comb-clawed Beetle
Blown Comb-clawed Beetle
Green Comb-clawed Beetle
Bark Comb Clawed Beetle
Grey Comb-clawed Beetle  
 
OEDEMERIDAE
Lycid-mimic Pollen Beetle
Bi-colour Pollen Beetle 
 
MELOIDAE
Blister Beetles  
                                   

                                               

Lycid-mimicking Pollen Beetle - Pseudolycus sp.

Family Oedemeridae 

This page contains information and pictures about Lycid-mimicking Pollen Beetles that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
 
 
Body length 15mm
 
This beetle was first found near Bulimba Creek in Yugarapul Park on Acacia leaf during early summer Nov 2007. This beetle look like a Lycid Beetle.  This beetle mimic the Lycid Beetle to gain protections. Details please check our mimicry complex page. 
 
DSC_0605.jpg (117638 bytes) DSC_0608.jpg (145384 bytes) DSC_0610.jpg (126593 bytes)
 
This beetle may also be confused with the Tmesidera rufipennis in family Meloidae or the Eroschema poweri in family Cerambycidae. Both of them are in the  Lycid mimicry complex. The beetle can be distinguished from others that this genus Pseudolycus has the antennal segments 3-8 broad and flattened.
 
From reference information that Oedemerids are themselves toxic as well, so the mimicry is of the Mullerian type. 
 
DSC_7548.jpg (145191 bytes)
 
The above beetle was found in Botanic Garden. It was late winter Sep 2007, It was feeding pollen on Acacia flowers
 

Reference:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, plate 6C (Tmesidera rufipennis, family Meloidae).
2. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p 668.
3. Insects of Australia - G Hangay and P German. New Holland. Publishers, 2000, p82.
4. Insects of Australia - G Hangay and P German. New Holland. Publishers, 2000, p75 (Eroschema poweri). 
5. A guide to the Genera of Beetles of South Australia Part.5 - Matthews, E.G. 1987, plate24.
 
Back to Top

Up ] [ Lycid-mimicking Pollen Beetle ] Bi-colour Pollen Beetle ]

                                                

See us in our Home page. Download large pictures in our Wallpaper web page. Give us comments in our Guest Book, or send email to us. A great way to support us is to buy the CD from us.  
Last updated: March 28, 2011.