Review of the history, biology and host plants of the Australian weevil Chrysolopus spectabilis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Aterpinae)

9 Pages·1991·3.6 MB·English

by  T J Hawkeswood

SPIXIANA 14 1 17-25 München,1.März1991 ISSN0341-8391
Review of the history, biology and host plants of the Australian
weevil Chrysolopus spectabilis (Fabricius)
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Aterpinae)
ByTrevor Hawkeswood
J.
Hawkeswood,T.J. (1991): Review ofthehistory, biology and hostplants ofthe
Australian weevil Chrysolopus spectabilis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae:
Aterpinae). — Spixiana14/1: 17—25.
The larval and adult host plants ofthe Australian weevil Chrysolopus spectabilis
(Fabricius)(Coleoptera:Curculionidae:Aterpinae)arereviewedfromtheliterature,
unpublishedmuseumrecordsandfrompersonalobservationsoftheauthor.Publish-
edbiologicalandhistoricaldataarealsoreviewed.Theknownlarvalhostsareasfol-
lows:Acaciabaileyana,A. decurrens,A.longissima,A.pycnantha,A.suaveolensand
A. terminalis(Mimosaceae). Thereareatleast29recordedadulthostplants,mostly
Acacia species (Mimosaceae):Acaciaarmata,A. aulacocarpa,A. baileyana,A. deal-
bata,A. decurrens,A. elata,A.falciformis,A.filicifolia,A.fimbriata,A.holosericea,
A. implexa,A. leiocalyx,A. leptostachya,A. linifolia,A. longifolia,A. longissima,A.
mangium,A.mearnsii,A.melanoxylon,A.parramattensis,A.parvipinnula,A.penni-
nervis, A.podalyriifolia, A. retinodes, A. sophorae, A. spectabilis, A. suaveolens,A.
terminalisandEucalyptuspilularis(Myrtaceae).
Trevor Hawkeswood, 49VennerRoad, Annerley, 4103 Brisbane, Queensland,
J.
Australia.
Introduction
The distinctive and attractive metallic blue and black weevil, Chrysolopus spectabilis (Fabricius)
(Fig. 1), popularly known as the Botany Bay Diamond Beetle (Weevil), is distributed from coastal
northernQueenslandtoVictoriaandeasternSouthAustralia(Chadwick, 1978;Chadwick&Brunet,
1985; Hawkeswood, 1987). The beetle most commonly occurs in eastern New South Wales, where
bothlarvaeandadults arecloselyassociatedwithalargenumberofAcaciaspecies(Mimosaceae).The
type specimenswereprobably collected from Cooktown, north-eastern QueenslandbyJ. Banks, C.
SolanderandothernaturalistsontheEndeavourexpeditionuptheeastcoastofAustraliaduringAu-
gust 1770 (see Radford, 1981 fordetails on the type collection). The beetlewas commonly collected
by residents ofthe colonial days at Botany Bay, hence the vernacularname. Thispaper attempts to
summarizethebiologyandhostplantsofC. spectabilisfromthepublishedliteratureandpersonalob-
servationsoftheauthormadeduring 1965-1989invariousareasofeasternAustralia.Inaddition,pre-
viously unpublished datafromtheAustralianNational InsectCollection (ANIC) in Canberra, Aus-
tralian CapitalTerritory, arerecordedhere.
TheassociationofC. spectabiliswithAcaciaspecies(Mimosaceae)hasbeennotedmanytimesover
thepast 100 years by Froggatt (1893, 1902, 1907, 1923, 1927), Gurney (1911), Gallard(1916), Illidge
17
Fig. 1. Adult femaleon the leai of Acacia leiocalyx(Domin) Pedley at Brisbane,south-sastQueensland. Photo-
graph:author.Scaleline = 7mm.
(1922), Tillyard (1926), McKeown (1944), Brooks (1948), Britton (1970), Healey &Smithers (1971),
Moore (1978), Chadwick (1978), van den Berg (1982), Chadwick & Brunei (1985), Hawkeswood
(1987) and Rheinheimer(1989).Thesepapers and articles will be reviewed in the followingsections.
Biology
a. Larval host plants
The first published observations on the biology ofC. speetabilis werethoseofFrogg tt (1893: 37-
38), who recorded the beetle breeding in the stems ofAcacia terminalis Salisb. (= A. botrycephala
Vent., = A. discolor(Andr.)Willd.), in theSydney district(Rose Bay), NewSouth Wales.::"(Voucher
collections tor this record are in the Australian Museum (AM) collection, Sydney; Chadwick, 1978:
24). Froggatt(1893) alsobred adultsfrom therootsofA. longissima Wcndl (listed asA. linearisSims)
and A. suaveolcns (Sm.) Willd., from the Sydney district. (Voucher collection from A. suaveolens is
AM
in the collection;Chadwick, 1978:24).Froggatt(1902: 703-704)vaguelyindicatedthatC.speeta-
bilisbred inA. decurrens(Wendl.)Willd. Froggatt(1907, 1923)providedfurtherbiologicalnotes but
did not add any further larval host records. Gurney (1911: 57-58) noted that C. speetabilis was a
wattletree insect with "wood-boringgrubs" butfailedtolisttheAcaciaspeciesthatwerehosts.Gur-
Froggatt(1893:38)alsorecorded"Acacialaurifolia"asalarvalhostbutIhavecheckedthisnameinStandardre-
ferenceworkssuchasBeadleetal(1972)FloraoftheSydneyRegion,andPedley(1978)Austrobaileya1:75-234,
butitdoesnotappear,soitisapparentthatFroggattusedaninvalidnameandsotherecordmustbedisregarded.
18
ney(1911)alsobrieflynotedthatalthough C.spectabiliswasacommonbeetle,littlewasknownofits
biology. Obviouslyhewasunawareoftheprevious researchofFroggatt(1893, 1902) on thespecies.
Gallard(1916: 113)recordedthespeciesasaborerofA. decurrensbutdidnotprovideanyotherbio-
logical details. Illidge (1922: 62) noted that larvae of C. spectabilis, as well as otherwood-boringin-
sects, had destroyed anA. baileyana F. Muell. in aBrisbanesuburb, Queensland. Nofurtherdetails
were provided. Froggatt (1927: 13) bred an adult from the stem ofAcaciapycnantha Benth at Wee
Waa,NewSouthWales.R.H.MulderinChadwick(1978:25)recordedlarvaeofC.spectabilistunnel-
ling in the stems of A. suaveolens (Sm.) Willd. and A. longissima Wendl. (listed as A. linearis) at
Helensburgh,NewSouthWaleson 10 March 1968.
b. AdultHost(Food) Plants
1. BipinnateAcacia species
I Acacia baileyanaF. Muell. (CootamundraWattle)
Newhostrecord:DuringDecemberandJanuary1973and 1974,1collectedseveraladultsfrombran-
ches and leaves ofyoung plants (1.3—1.8 m high) ofthis wattle, growing along a roadside atWagga
Wagga, NewSouthWales.
II Acaciadealbata Link(SilverWattle)
Records: Sydney district, New South Wales (Froggatt, 1893: 38); 1 adult, from Green Hills (Pine
Plantation), AustralianCapitalTerritory (Jan.)inANIC.
III Acaciadecurrens(Wendl.)Willd. (GreenWattle)
Records:Sydneydist ict,NewSouthWales(Froggatt, 1893:38;Froggatt, 1902: 704);3adults, 14km
southofBerrima(BlackBobsCreek),NewSouthWales(Dec.)inANIC;vandenBerg(1982:52)re-
cordedC.spectabilisfeedingonphyllodesofA. decurrensineasternAustraliabutfailedtoprovideex-
actlocalitydataetc.;On4Dec. 1981,BrunetinChadwick&Brunet(1985: 106)collectedamalformed
adultfromA. decurrensat"OakFiats",AraluenValley,NewSouthWales;DuringDecemberandJa-
nuary 1976 and 1977, I observed adults feedingand matingon this wattle atvarious localities in dry
sclerophyll forests inthe Glenbrook-Lapstonearea, lowerBlueMountains, NewSouthWales.
IV Acaciaelata A. Cunn. (Mountain CedarWattle)
Record: Van den Berg (1982: 54) recorded C. spectabilis feeding on phyllodes ofA. elata in eastern
Australiabutfailedtoprovideexactlocalitydata.
V AcaciafilicifoliaCheeletWelch (Fern-leafWattle)
Newhostrecord:DuringNovember 1976and 1977,1observedseveraladultsonminorbranchesand
trunks ofyoung, non-floweringplants (1.0—1.5 m high) at Armidale, Ebor, New England National
Park, Wolloinombi, Dangars Falls andnearGrafton,NewSouthWales.
VI AcaciamearnsiDeWild. (BlackWattle)
Records: Froggatt(1923: 108) notedthattheweevilwascommononthefoliageoftheBlackWattle;
16kmSWofBraidwood,NewSouthWales,26.Jan. 1963,C.E.Chadwick(Chadwick,1978:24);Du-
ring 1965-67in theGlenbrook-LapstoneareaofthelowerBlueMountains, NewSouthWales, Iob-
served adults feeding on stems, branches and occasionally leaves ofnon-floweringyoungplants du-
ring NovembertoJanuary; van den Berg(1982: 54) recorded C. spectabilisfeedingonthephyllodes
ofA. mearnsiiin easternAustralia(exactlocalitynotlisted).
VII AcaciaparramattensisTindale (ParramattaWattle)
Records: North Richmond, NewSouth Wales, 9 Dec. 1973, C. E. Chadwick(Chadwick, 1978:25);
DuringNovembertoJanuary1965-67inthelowerBlueMountains,NewSouthWales,Iobservednu-
merous adults on stems and minor branches ofyoungplants (1.0-1.5 mhigh) commonly growingin
disturbed areas in woodlands and dry sclerophyll forests- they fed on the thin green bark ofliving
plants.
19
.
VIII AcaciaparvipinnMa Tindale
New host record: DuringJanuary 1977 I observed two adults matingon a branch ofthis wattlenear
Katoomba, higher Blue Mountains, NewSouth Wales — thefemale wasalsochewingthebarkofthe
branch.
IX Acacia spectabilU A.. Cunn. ex Benth.
\e\\ host record: During December 1983, I observed one adult weevil feedingon a portion ofstem
ot this plant at Brisbane, Queensland — thesitewas a residential garden.
X Acacia terminalis (Salisb.) MacBride(SunshineWattle)
Record: Sydney district, New South Wales (Froggatt, 1893: 38) (listed asA discolor).
2. PhyllodinousAcacia species
Acacia armata R. Br.
I
Record: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 1 Mar. 1986, J. Rheinheimer (Rheinheimer, 1989:
29).
II Acaciaaulacocarpa A. Cunn. ex Benth.
New host record: During November to December, 1980-1981, I observed several adults feedingand
matingon stemsandbranchesofyoungplants(1.0-2.5mhigh)ofthiswattlegrowingindisturbedha-
bitats alongside roads in theTownsville-Bowen district, northern Queensland.
III Acaciajaleiformi's DC
Records: Mittagong,NewSouthWales,23Mar. 1968,C. E.Chadwick,"chewingleaves"(Chadwick,
1978: 25); Hampton, New SouthWales, 27Dec. 1968, C. E. Chadwick(Chadwick, 1978: 25).
IV Acaciafimbriata A. Cunn. ex G. Don (Fringed Wattle)
New host record: DuringDecembertoJanuary 1985 and 1986, I observed severaladultsfeedingand
matingon thestemsand brachesofsemi-matureplants(1.5-2.5mhigh)growinginEucalyptuscrebra
dry sclerophyll forest, north-eastofToowoomba, Queensland.
V Acaciabolosericea A. Cunn. ex G. Don
Newhostrecord:DuringNovembertoDecember 1980and 1981,1observedmanyadultsfeedingand
mating on mature plants (1.5—1.8 m high) ofthis wattle in Eucalyptusalba-E. drepanophylla wood-
land/dry sclerophyll forest on the James Cook University grounds, Townsville, north-eastern
Queensland.
VI Acacia implexa Benth. (Lightwood)
Record: Arcadia, Sydney, NewSouth Wales, 4Jan. 1964,J. Burdett (Chadwick, 1978: 24).
VII Acacia leiocalyx (Domin) Pcdley subsp. leiocalyx
New host record: DuringDecemberandJanuary 1982 to 1985, I observed severaladultseachseason
on young plants (0.5-2.0 m high) growing in open woodlands in the Brisbane area, south-castern
Queensland (vi/. Gritfith University campus, Capalaba, Burbank, Rochedale, Mt. Coot-tha).
VIII Acacia leptostaehya Benth.
New host record: On 26 November 1981, I collected one adult from a minor branch.ofone plant
1.5m in height,growinginopenwoodlandontheJamesCookUniversitycampus,Townsville,north-
eastern Queensland.
IX Acacialinifolia(Vent.)Willd.
Record: I.indticld, Sydney, New South Wales, 28 Mar. 1962, C. E. Chadwick, "on floweringshoot"
(Chadwick, 1978:24).
X Acacia longifolia (Andr.) Willd. (Sydney Golden Wattle)
Records: Sydney district, New South Wales (Eroggatt, 1893: 38); van den Berg (1982: 53) recorded
20
C. spectabilis feeding on phyllodes of this wattle in eastern Australia (exact localities not listed);
2adults, PortMacquarie,NewSouthWales, (Dec.)inANIC; During 1975to 1979,1observedmany
adultsmatingandfeedingonyoungplants(1.2-1.5mhigh)ofthiswattleduringDecembertoJanuary
indrysclerophyllforestinthe Glenbrookarea, lowerBlueMountains, NewSouthWales.
XI Acacia longissimaWendl.
Record: LoddonRiver, north-eastofAustinmer,NewSouthWales, 11 April 1948, C. E. Chadwick,
"eatingstamens" (Chadwick, 1978: 24) (listed asA. linearisSims).
XII Acacia mangium Willd.
A
Record:Brooks(1948:7)notedadultsfedontheleavesof mangiummnorth-easternQueensland.
XIII Acacia melanoxylon R. Br. exAit. (Blackwood)
Record: Hampton, NewSouthWales,27Dec. 1968,C.E.Chadwick(Chadwick, 1978:25);2adults,
Snobs CreekFish Hatchery,Victoria (Jan.) inANIC.
XIV AcaciapenninervisSieb, exDC.
Newhost record: DuringDecembertoJanuary 1985 and 1986, I observedseveraladultsfeedingand
mating on stems and branches ofsemi-matureplants (1.0—1.5 m high) growingin Eucalyptuscrebra
drysclerophyllforest,north-eastofToowoomba,Queensland.WeevilswerealsoonAcaciafimbriata
inthesamearea(seealso notes underthisplant).
XV Acaciapodalyriifolia A. Cunn. ex G. Don (Queensland SilverWattle)
Newhostrecord:DuringJanuaryandFebruary 1985 and 1986, Iobservedseveraladultsfeedingand
restingonmainstemsofthiswattle(c. 1.5 mhigh)indrysclerophyllforestnearToowoomba,south-
eastern Queensland. (Theweevils were also onAcaciafimbriata andA.penninervisin thesamearea,
seealsonotesundertheseplants).
XVI Acacia retinodesSchlecht.
Newhostrecords: 1 adult, Hacks Bridge, SouthAustralia(Jan.) inANIC; 1 adult, Mt. Lofty,South
Australia(Dec.) inANIC.
XVII Acaciasophorae (Labill.) F. Muell.
Newhostrecord:DuringDecember1977,1observedseveraladultsonyoungplants(0.5—1.0mhigh)
ofthis wattlegrowingin aheathland habitatatHungry Head,NewSouthWales;DuringDecember
and January 1984—1986, I observed a few adults feeding and resting on the stems ofyoung plants
(0.8—1.2 m high) growingincoastalheathland atHastings Point, northernNewSouthWales.
XVIII Acaciasuaveolens(Sm.)Willd. (SweetWattle)
Records: Sydney district,NewSouthWales(Froggatt, 1893:38); Killcare,NewSouthWales,2Dec.
1973, C. E. Chadwick (Chadwick, 1978: 25).
3. Otheradult hostplants
Chadwick (1978: 25) also listed the record ofEucalyptuspilularis Sm. (Myrtaceae) as a host from
Olney StateForest,westofMorisset, NewSouthWales on 10Jan. 1966, by K. M. Moore.
c. General biologyandbehaviour
Froggatt (1893: 38, 1923: 108) provided the first biological notes on the species on which other
authorshavebasedtheirInformation Thefemaleweevilusuallyattacksthestemofthehostjustabove
:
thesurfaceoftheground,wherethebeetlegnawsthebarkintosmall,roughenedspots,undereachof
which is deposited a single egg; sometimes up to 20 ofthese rough patches, situated close together,
may be counted on asingletree; thelarvauponhatching, bores downinto themain roots,whichare
completelyhollowedoutbythegnawinglarva;thelarvaleavesbehindcompactedfrassandcastlarval
cuticles in the cylindrical tunnels; the life-cycleiscompletedwithin ayearundernormalconditions,
21
although some late emerging individuals appear much later in the summer season. Froggatt (1893,
1923) also noted th.it the species was very plentiful in the Sydney district, New South Wales, where
dozens could be collected in .m afternoon in areas with abundant growth ofvoung wattles. Froggatt
(1907: 185-186),Tillyard(1926:243), McKeown (1944: 160), Britton (1970:619),Healey&Smithers
(1971: 109), Moore (1978: 138-140), van den Berg (1982: 54) and Hawkeswood (1987: 118)haveall
noted that C. speetabilis isoftenacommon beetlein eastern Australia, associatedwithAcacia species
(Mimosaceae), but have not added significantly to the biological data provided by Froggatt (1893,
1902, 1923). Rheinheimer(1989:29),on 1 March 1986,recordedapairofweevilsfeedingonaglobular
gall (2 cm in diaincter) caused by a fungus (Uromycladium sp.) on a branch ofAcaciaartnata R. Br.
at Canberra,AustralianCapitalTerritory;overaperiodofapproximatelyoneday,thepairofweevils
had consumed halt the volumeofthegall.
d. Defencemechanisms
Hawkeswood (1987: 118)noted that theadultswereverywaryand usually droppedtotheground
upon disturbance. Occasionally they will also clingtenaciously to the branch ofthe host with all six
legs and are ditticult todislodge. On 10January 1984, I collectedalargefemalefromAcaciafilicifolia
Cheel et Welch, 20 km west ofArmidale, New South Wales, which exuded avery largedropletofa
green gut Solution through themouth when handled.
e.Teratology
Chadwick & Brunet (1985: 106, 108) have described teratology for the first time in an Australian
weevil. The speeimen in question is a malformed female collected by B. L. Brunet on 4 December
1981, from "Oak Fiats", Araluen Valley, NewSouth Wales (now housed in the Australian Museum,
Sydney). The deformity consists of two parts, arising from different portions of the prothorax and
which partly overlap externally. For acomplete description ofthe complex abnormal struetures see
Chadwick & Brunet (1985).
Life-stages
a. Larva
TheonlypublisheddescriptionofthelarvaisthatofFroggatt(1893:37-38):Larvawhite,withshin-
111- terruginous head, stout black jaws, and rounded, obese, much wrinkled body; above the head
slightly tinged with a terruginousband;thoracicandabdominalsegmentsverymuchcorrugated with
many finc, transversefurrows,sothatobservedfromabove,thedivisionsofthesegmentsarevery m-
distinet, broadestaboutthemiddlerounded attheanus,afaintparallelfurrowdownthecentreot the
back; a tew scattered hairs on sides. The larva has been crudelv illustrated byTillyard (1926: 183).
b. Pupa
The pupahas not been described or illustrated.
c. Adult
Ihe adult was first described in two linesby Fabricius(1775: 155)and laterbriefly redesenbedand
illustrated in colourbv 1)onovan (1805)whofirstintroducedthevernacularnameofBotany Bay Dia-
mond Beetle (Weevil) forthe insect. Froggatt(1893, 1902, 1923)again brieflydescribedtheadult and
noted that they varied in si/e and colour — thosethat emerged early in theseason tendedto be more
brightly tinted with green than the lateremergents which were moremetallic blue. The gcneral adult
coloration is bronze-blacktoblackwiththesidesofthesnout, undersurfaceofthehead andthreepa-
22
rallel bands on the pronotum rieh metallic green to blue; the elytra are irregularly mottled with
metallicgreentoblue,formingirregulärmarkingsmergingtogetheronthesidesanddenselycovered
with scales on the underside ofthe body. The adult is also figured by Froggatt (1902, 1907), Britton
(1970), Healey&Smithers (1971), Moore (1978) and Hawkeswood (1987).
Discussion
Despite being one ofthe most distinetive and common Australian weevils, very little has beenre-
corded on its lifestages and larval food plants. Mostofthedataon thespecies dealswithadulthosts.
Atotalof6larvalhostshavebeen recordedwhile29 adulthostplants areknown (Hawkeswood,this
paper). It shouldbenoted thatall oftheknown larval hosts (with theexception ofA.pyenantha) are
alsoutilizedasfoodbytheadultssoitmaynotbesurprisingwithmoreresearchtofindthattheother
23 Acacia species listed hereas adult hosts are also larvalfoodsourcesofC. speetabilis. Ofthe29 re-
cordedadulthosts,28arefromthegenusAcacia(Mimosaceae)andonlyonefromEucalyptus(Myrta-
ceae). During my 15 years ofobservations on C. speetabilis in eastern Australia I have never found
them on anyplant otherthanAcacia species, so the record ofEucalyptuspilularisSm. as ahostmust
beregardedasveryrareandunusualanddeservingoffurtherfieldobservationswhentheopportunity
arises. Theavailableevidencesuggeststhat C. speetabilisisverycloselyassociatedwithbipinnateand
phyllodinousAcaciaspecies.FrommyobservationsineasternAustralia, C.speetabilisseemstoprefer
the bipinnate wattles inthemoreheavily timbered habitats such as the dry sclerophyllforests ofthe
BlueMountainsofNewSouthWalesandthephyllodinousAcaciaspeciesinthecoastalheathlandand
open woodland habitats such as in south-eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales. The
wattlespreferredby C. speetabilisareusuallythick-stemmed,large,shrubbyspecieswiththickmuci-
laginousbarkanddensefoliage.However,thephyllodinousspeciessuchasthe„pricklymoses"watt-
les, e. g. Acacia ulieifolia (Salisb.) Court, A. brownii (Poir.) Steud., A. vomeriformis A. Cunn.
ex.Benth.,whichhaveverymuchreducedandpointed(prickly)phyllodes,appearnottobenormally
utilizedby C.speetabilis, probablybecausethesespeciesaresmallplantswithlimitedfoliageandbark
and small roots andarethereforenotsuitableforlarvalandadultnutrition. InthelowerBlueMoun-
tains ofNewSouthWales, I recorded over20 species ofAcacia indigenous to the area, and ofthese,
only 5 species (4 bipinnate and 1 phyllodinous) were utilized by C. speetabilis, viz. A. decurrens
(Wendl.) Willd., A. mearnsii De Wild., A. parramattensis Tindale,A. terminalis (Salisb.) MacBride
(bipinnate) and A. longifolia (Andr.) Willd. (phyllodinous). Such species as A. ulieifolia (Salisb.)
Court,A. echinulaDC,A. myrtifolia (Sm.)Willd. andA. linifolia (Vent.)Willd.,speciesoftencom-
C
moninmanyhabitatsinthelowerBlueMountains,wereavoidedby speetabilis. Adultfeedingap-
pears to be restricted to the bark ofstems and branches oftheyoungAcaciaplants andoccasionally
leaves, but only rately areAcacia flowers consumed. In my experience, most adults oecupy young,
non-flowering Acacia plants, often growing in exposed situations in disturbed sites. The record of
Rheinheimer (1989) of C. speetabilis feeding on a gall caused by afungus is noteworthy and further
observations ongall-feedingwould beofinterest.
AsnotedbyChadwick(1978), C. speetabilisismorecommoneastoftheGreatDividingRangeand
becomes scarcer or absent further west of the Range. This distribution is strongly correlated with
higherdensityofAcaciaspeciesandhigherrainfallintheareaseastoftheRange.ApparentlyC. spee-
tabilis is not adapted to semi-arid or arid habitats. Also, C. speetabilis appears to be absentfrom the
rainforestsofeasternAustralia - thiswouldappeartobearesultofalackofAcaciaspeciesinAustra-
lianrainforests andnotaresultofvery high rainfallortemperatures. Therefore, itwouldappearthat
thedistributionofC.speetabilisisdeterminedbythepresenceofpreferredAcaciahostsandmoderate
rainfall.
Beingoneofthefirstinsects collected andnamed byEuropeansfromAustralia, C. speetabilisisof
interestfrom anhistoricalpointofview. Theexaetlocalityfromwheretheoriginal(type)speeimens
23
were collected, remams a nn stery. Britton (1970: 619) stated that C. spectabilis was takcn byJoseph
Banks at Botany Bay,NewSouthWales,but I tendtodisagreewiththisStatementand believethatC.
spectabilis, along with most oftheother insects collected from eastern Australia by the naturalistsof
the Endearvour expedition, were procured at the Endeavour River, near the present settlement of
Cooktown. CaptainJamesCook'sexpedition arrivedat Botany Bayon29Aprd 1770duringautumn.
I ater theexpedtion remained forabouttwoweeksduring August 1770attheEndeavourRiverwhile
thecrew repaired damages to the ship. During this time in tropica] Australia, insects ofmany species
areabundant, andthenaturalistswouldhavehadplentyoftimetoprocurenumerousspecimens.April
in the Sydney district is usually cold and wet and most adult beetlesarescarceorabsentby thistime.
Hencecollectingtherein autumn would not havebcenveryproductiveforCook'snaturalists.How-
ever, Chadwick (1*978:25) noted that although most C. spectabilis in NewSouthWales hadbeencol-
lected from November toJanuary during the Australian summer, only afeworno beetles had been
collected m the remainingmonths. (The206collectionsexamined by Chadwick(1978)spanover 100
years). As noted previously, theperiod April-May is usually cold and wet in the Sydney district and
undertheseconditionsandthetimeoftheyear,adultsofC.spectabiliswouldnotnormallybepresent.
August in northQueensland iswarmandrelativelydry andhencemoreconducivefortheearlyemer-
genceofadults.Therefore, forthesereasonsIfeelthatthetypecollectionwasmadein tropical north-
eastern Queensland.
Acknowledgements
I would liketoihankMr.C.E.ChadwickofSydney,NewSouthWales,fordiscussionsonthebiologyandtax-
onomy ol C. spectabilis and tor valuable literature, to Mr. M. Peterson ofPcrth,Western Australia,forobtaining
rarereferencesformeandvaluedcorrespondenceovertheyears,toDr.B.P.MooreofCanberra,AustralianCapi-
talTerritory,forcorrespondenceand literature,and totheotticersol theAustralianNational InsectCollectionin
CanberraandtheNationalMuseumofVictoriainMelbourneforlocalityandbiologicaldataonC.spectabilisheld
in thosecollections.This research wasundertakenonprivatefundsand I would liketothankmvmother, MrsD.
I . H.uvkeswoodforfacilitieswhichenabled thispapertobewritten.
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