Australia: land of Stigmodera

Many beautiful Buprestidae belong to the Stigmoderina group. They are typical of Australia (with Tasmania), New Guinea and, on the other side of Pacific Ocean, with different genera, of South America (mostly Chile and Argentina). Most of them live in Australia, from Northern rain forests (especially Calodema and Metaxymorpha), to temperate woods of the Coastal Range to steppe and desert of Western and Central Australia. The most abundant in species and specimens is the genus Stigmodera, now split in 3 different genera: Stigmodera, with few species, Themognatha, with several more or less large species, and Castiarina, with very many colourful species living on Australian flowers.

Genus Calodema

Calodema regalis - Julatten, North Queensland (Photo by M.Guentle, kindly sent by Ianni Butterfly Enterprise)

Genus Metaxymorpha

Metaxymorpha hauseri

Metaxymorpha gloriosa

Genus Stigmodera


Stigmodera  gratiosa

Stigmodera macularia
(view a small selection of Stigmodera)

Genus Themognatha

Themognatha grandis

Themognatha carpentariae
(view a small selection of Themognatha)

Genus Castiarina

Castiarina terrareginae

Castiarina insignis
(view a small selection of Castiarina)

Genus Julodimorpha

Julodimorpha bakewelli
There are many other endemic Australian genera. One with many species is Melobasis. 
Click here to see some of them.
Melobasis sp.