Blessed leaf beetle

Paropsisterna beata

A variable leaf beetle found in all states of Australia except Tasmania.
Larva of Paropsisterna beata Australia,Blessed leaf beetle,Geotagged,Paropsisterna,Paropsisterna beata,Summer

Appearance

Paropsisterna beata is part of an aggregation of dark beetles with glossy elytra, smooth puncrutations and sometimes with bright markings.
Glossy and have dark to black base with 6 large spots on the elytrae of either orange or yellow.
Usually a red 'skirt'. Head and pronotal cheeks should also be orange or red.
About 12mm long.

It is easily separated from similar species by the following details
1/ there is a marginal colored skirt
2/ the pronotal edges (cheeks) and part of the head are colored.

A variety (var, rubrosignata (Bohem)) occurs in the north of the range with a thicker coloration on the head and pronotum more red and the three elytral dots more yellow.
BLESSED LEAF BEETLE - Paropsisterna beata (variety) rubrosignata https://sites.google.com/site/paropsisternablackpages/class-schedule Australia,Blessed leaf beetle,Geotagged,Paropsisterna,Paropsisterna beata

Naming

BLESSED LEAF BEETLE
Latin; beata = blessed
Blessed leaf beetle - Paropsisterna beata Australia,Bairnsdale Vic,Blessed leaf beetle,Eamw beetles,Geotagged,Paropsisterna beata,Summer

Distribution

Variations found in all states of Australia except Tasmania.
Paropsisterna beata Paropsisterna beata is one of a species group with black colors and bright patterns of dots or lines. The puncturations are very fine. http://www.jungledragon.com/image/36734/blessed_leaf_beetle_-_paropsisterna_beata_variety_rubrosignata.html To the north of the range is a variety with red head and margin of elytra and pronotum. Australia,Blessed leaf beetle,Fall,Geotagged,Paropsisterna,Paropsisterna beata,Spring

Food

Eucalyptus

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

https://sites.google.com/site/paropsisternablackpages/class-schedule
http://eol.org/pages/2866101/overview
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Paropsisterna+beata#tab_names
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderColeoptera
FamilyChrysomelidae
GenusParopsisterna
SpeciesParopsisterna beata
Photographed in
Australia