Thalycrodes australis (Germar, 1848) (a species of fruit-beetle)

Semmens, T.D., McQuillan, P.B. & Hayhurst, G. (1992). Catalogue of the Insects of Tasmania. Government of Tasmania: Department of Primary Industry, 104 pp. (as Thalycrodes australe)

TMAG collections

Typical length (mm): 4.0
Flightedness: winged and assumed capable of flight

Morphology (characterised by L. Forster): — Antennae with large, compact, globular, three-segmented club — Elytra reddish-brown, sometimes with vague spots.

Source literature on taxonomy and morphology (*primary taxonomic source, where identified):
Kirejtshuk, A.G. & Lawrence, J.F. (1992). Review of the Thalycrodes complex of genera (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) endemic to the Australian Region. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 31: 119–142.

Assumed larval feeding: detritivore
Association with dead wood or old trees: at least facultatively saproxylic

Ecological attributes: — Affiliated with intermediate-aged (ex-clearfelled) forest (Michaels, 1999) — Affiliated with late-aged (ex-clearfelled) forest (Michaels, 1999) — Affiliated with late-aged (ex-clearfelled) forest (Michaels, 1999) — May occupy logs or trunks of Eucalyptus obliqua, at least temporarily, since found having emerged within six years of felling (Grove et al., 2009).

Collection method(s) for TMAG material: — Emergence trapping from log of Eucalyptus obliqua — Malaise trapping — Pitfall trapping.

Source ecological literature:
Baker, S.C. (2000). Forest litter beetles and their habitat: a comparison of forest regenerated by wildfire and logging practices. Hons. thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Baker, S.C. (2006b). Ecology and conservation of ground-dwelling beetles in managed wet eucalypt forest: edge and riparian effects. PhD thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Grove, S. et al. (2009). A long-term experimental study of saproxylic beetle … succession in Tasmanian Eucalyptus … logs… In: Fattorini, S. (Ed.), Insect Ecology and Conservation. Research Signpost, pp. 71-114.
Michaels, K.F. (1999a). Carabid beetles as biodiversity and ecological indicators. PhD thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.