Exploitation of sapling Banksia marginata by Cyrioides imperialis (Fabricius 1801) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Tasmania

摘要

The impressive Cyrioides imperialis (Fabricius 1801), is a widespread jewel beetle species, occurring across the Australian east coastal region, including Tasmania. The common name, Banksia borer, implies it is host specific to this genus of Australian plants; species known to be visited by the beetle include B. marginata, B. serrata, B. integrifolia and B. spinulosa; Tepper (1887) reported the adults and larvae inhabiting B. marginata with adult activity around Christmas. More recently, records of the species utilizing Leptospermum polygalifolium, (= L flavescens) (Williams 1977) and perhaps other Leptospermum spp. (Williams & Williams 1983) were reported in a review of larval host plants for the species by Hawkeswood (2007). In that same paper, B. marginata, B. integrifolia and B. serrata are listed as larval hosts,and Hawkeswood comments that the beetle is becoming less common, speculating this is possibly due to bushfire. The most detailed account of C. imperialis [as Cyria] includes illustrations of adult, larva and larval bore, provided by the Victorian Government cntomologist French,who portrayed the species as a destructive pest and suggested it may destroy all the Banksia forests if not kept in check (French 1900). Here wc present new information on the utilization of juvenile B. marginata as an important larval host plant.