The Tribe
Coraebini is the largest subgroup within the Buprestidae (Jewel Beetles).
These are small Beetles found within the forest canopy in both
temperate and tropical regions, though both their biology and true
diversity is poorly understood, due to the inaccessible nature of
their prefered habitats.
In a
paper published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology on 31 August 2016,
Loong-Fah Cheong of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum,
describes two new Beetles from the Tribe Coraebini, both of which
were found in Singapore, and one also on Sumatra.
The first
new Beetle described is placed in the genus Brachycoraebus and
given the specific name aeneus, in reference to its brassy
colouration. This species is described from two specimens, a female
collected from the Nee Soon Swamp Forest on Singapore in September
2013, and a male collected from an unknown location on the island in
April 1923. These are small Beetles, the male measuring 3.6 mm in
length and 1.5 mm in width and the female 4.2 mm in length and 1.9 mm
in width. They are dark brown in colour, and covered with short
golden hairs, which gives them a brassy appearance; their undersides
are black.
Brachycoraebus
aeneus, female specimen in life. Loong-Fah Cheong (2016).
The
second new species described is placed in the genus Metasambus,
and given the specific name circularis,
in reference to the circular pattern on the elytra (wing case) of the
Beetles. The species is described from seven specimens, two from the
Riffle Range Forest of Singapore and five from an unknown location on
Sumatra. These are also small Beetles, measuring 3.8 mm in length and
1.3 mm in width, and are black in colour with a purplish tinge, and a
covering of white hair on the elytra which forms two distinct bands,
each with a circular pattern on each wing-case.
Metasambus
circularis, male
specimen. Loong-Fah Cheong (2016).
See also...
Two new species of Jewel Beetle from Central America. Jewel Beetles (Buprestidae) are wood-boring Insects with distinctive
bright, metallic elytra...
Six new species of Jewel Beetle from Southeast Asia. Jewel Beetles (Buprestidae) are wood-boring Insects with distinctive
bright, metallic elytra...
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