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Calodema, 862: 1-3 (2021) Hawkeswood, Sommung & Sommung- Strigoptera bimaculata new records
First record of the jewel beetle, Strigoptera bimaculata (L., 1758) (Insecta:
Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Sisaket Province, Thailand with a new host plant
record for the species
Trevor J. Hawkeswood*, Buppha Sommung^ & Aranya Sommung@
*PO Box 842, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia (drtjhawkeswood@gmail.com)
^ via Ubon, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand (buppha19741@gmail.com
@ via Ubon, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand (hungary.bk@hotmail.com)
Hawkeswood, T.J., Sommung, B. & Sommung, A. (2021). First record of the jewel beetle, Strigoptera bimaculata (L.,
1758) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Sisaket Province, Thailand with a new host plant record for the species.
Calodema, 862: 1-3.
Abstract: In this note, we provide the first published record of the jewel beetle (no common name), Strigoptera
bimaculata (L., 1758) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from the farming district of Kanthalarak, Sisaket Province,
north-eastern Thailand. Previous published data on its distribution in Thailand are reviewed. We also provide some
evidence for Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) as a larval host plant for the species in Thailand.
Key words: Strigoptera bimaculata, Coleoptera, Buprestidae, distribution, new larval host plant, Hevea brasiliensis,
Sisaket, Thailand.
Introduction
The jewel beetle, Strigoptera bimaculata (L., 1758) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a tropical and
distinctive metallic blue buprestid found throughout SE Asia to northern Australia (Hawkeswood,
1986, 1988; Hawkeswood, Sommung & Sommung, 2018). It appears to be rarely observed and
little has been recorded on its biology (Hawkeswood, 1986, 1988; Hawkeswood, Sommung &
Sommung, 2018). Ek-Amnuay (2008) also recorded the species from India, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Malaysia and Indonesia. Hawkeswood, Sommung & Sommung (2018) first recorded the species
from nearby Ubon Ratchathani Province.
Observations
During the mid afternoons of 10-12 May 2021 [various times], one of us (BS) observed several specimens of
Strigoptera bimaculata (L., 1758) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) flying around rubber trees in farmland near
Kantharalak, Sisaket Province, north-eastern Thailand. The beetles appeared to be mostly females flying
actively around and landing on the bark of the trees looking for ovipositional sites. Some resting beetles were
observed at about 3-5 metres from ground level on the trunks of the rubber trees where egg-laying was most
likely occurring. The beetles were captured photographically on the trees with video cameras as well as
single photographs (Figs 1, 2).
Discussion
This appears to be the first published record of Strigoptera bimaculata from Kanthalarak, Sisaket
Province, north-eastern Thailand. Other published information on the distribution of this species in
Thailand is that of Ek-Amnuay (2008) who illustrated a museum pinned male and female specimen
of the species and noted that in Thailand, the beetle had been recorded from Bangkhen, Pak
Thongchai and Phu Kae. [Bangken is in Bangkok Province, Phu Kae is in Sara Buri Province while
Pak Thong Chai is in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The last named Province is only one Provinces
to the west of Sisaket Province]. (see also Hawkeswood, Sommung & Sommung, 2018).
(Calodema - an International Journal of Biology and Other Sciences) Page 1
Calodema, 862: 1-3 (2021) Hawkeswood, Sommung & Sommung- Strigoptera bimaculata new records
The habitat here is long established farmland with various crops such as rice, (Oryza sativa L.,
Poaceae), guava (Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae), coconut (Cocos nucifera L., Arecaceae), banana
(Musa paradisiaca L., Musaceae), rhambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L., Sapindaceae), durian
(Durio zibethinus L., Malvaceae), cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz, Euphorbiaceae), finger lime
(Citrus australasica F. Muell., Rutaceae), daisies (Chrysanthemum sp., Asteraceae) and there are
also many weeds.
Fig. 1. Adult female of Strigoptera bimaculata (L., 1758)(Coleoptera: Buprestidae) seeking egg -laying sites on a trunk
of Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) in a rubber plantation near Kanthalarak, Thailand. (Photo: B.
Sommung).
Hawkeswood, Sommung & Sommung (2018) recorded the beetle from neighbouring Ubon
Ratchathani Province, noting: “This jewel beetle occurs throughout SE Asia and northern Australia.
Hawkeswood (1986, 1988) recorded the beetle breeding in mangroves Ceriops tagal (Pers.) C.B.
Rob. (Rhizophoraceae) and Camptostemon schultzii Mast. (Malvaceae) in Australia. There are no
mangroves present in the Ubon Ratchathani Province (as far as we are aware, because plant
communities there are all freshwater), so it would appear that alternative larval host plants are
utilized in this area of Thailand (as well as in nearby Nakhon Ratchasima Province), instead of
saltwater mangroves. Unfortunately, Ek-Amnuay (2008) was unable to shed any light on the
biology/host plants of this buprestid in Thailand. Now that we know this species does occur in
Ubon Ratchathani Province, discovery of its larval host plants would be most revealing.” We can
now state that S. bimaculata appears to breed in the trunks (or major branches) of mature trees of
Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) because adults have been recently observed seeking
egg laying sites on trunks of the rubber trees (Figs. 1 and 2, this paper). Further biological
(Calodema - an International Journal of Biology and Other Sciences) Page 2
Calodema, 862: 1-3 (2021) Hawkeswood, Sommung & Sommung- Strigoptera bimaculata new records
observations will be published hopefully in the near future now that we know the breeding sites of
this jewel beetle.
The only other paper we have published on Thailand Buprestidae is Hawkeswood & Sommung
(2016) on the very beautiful Sternocera aequisignata.
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank an anonymous referee for reviewing the paper before publication.
Fig. 2. Another closer view of the adult female of Strigoptera bimaculata (L., 1758)(Coleoptera: Buprestidae) seeking
egg-laying sites on a trunk of Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) in a rubber plantation near Kanthalarak,
Sisaket Province, Thailand. (Photo: B. Sommung).
References
Ek-Amnuay, P. (2008). Beetles of Thailand, 2nd Edition. Siam Insect Zoo and Museum, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Hawkeswood, T.J. (1986). New larval host records for eight Australian jewel beetles (Coleoptera, Buprestidae).
Giornale Italiano di Entomologia, 3: 173-177.
Hawkeswood, T.J. (1988). A review of larval host records for twelve Australian Buprestidae (Coleoptera). Giornale
Italiano di Entomologia, 4: 81-88.
Hawkeswood, T.J. & Sommung, B. (2016). Review of the biology of Sternocera aequisignata Saunders, 1866
(Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Thailand. Calodema, 414: 1-6.
Hawkeswood, T.J., Sommung, B. & Sommung, A. (2018). First record of the jewel beetle, Strigoptera bimaculata
(L., 1758) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. Calodema, 610: 1-2.
Date of publication: 15 May 2021
Copyright: T.J. Hawkeswood, B. Sommung & A. Sommung
Editor: Dr T.J. Hawkeswood (drtjhawkeswood@gmail.com)
PO Box 842, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia, 2753
(Published as hard paper copy edition as well as electronic pdf)
(Calodema - an International Journal of Biology and Other Sciences) Page 3
