Phyllotocus rufipennis (Boisduval, 1835) (a species of scarab-beetle)

Basis for Tasmanian occurrence

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

TMAG collections

Classification

Order: Coleoptera

Suborder: Polyphaga

Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea

Family: Scarabaeidae

Subfamily: Melolonthinae

Tribe: Sericini

Morphology

Typical length (mm): 9
Flightedness: winged and assumed capable of flight

Ecology

Assumed larval feeding: root-feeder
Association with dead wood or old trees: not saproxylic

Ecological attributes: — Banksia marginata is a host-plant (Bashford, 1990a) — Cassinia aculeata is a host-plant (Bashford, 1990a) — Eucalyptus camaldulensis is a host-plant (Bashford, 1990a) — Eucalyptus obliqua is a host-plant (Bashford, 1990a) — Eucalyptus pulchella is a host-plant (Bashford, 1990a) — Tamarix gallica is a host-plant (Bashford, 1990a).

Collection method(s) for TMAG material: — Baited trapping (funnel trap) — Flight intercept trapping — Hand collection (substrate not specified) — Hand collection from Cassinia sp. — Hand collection from Eucalyptus camaldulensis — Hand collection from Eucalyptus nitens — Hand collection from Eucalyptus pulchella — Hand collection from Eucalyptus sp. — Hand collection from Tamarix gallica.

Source ecological literature:
Bashford, R. (1990a). Tasmanian forest insects and their host plants: records from the Tasmanian Forestry Commission insect collection. Hobart: Tas. Forestry Commission, 32 pages.
Daley, E. (2007). Wings: an introduction to Tasmania’s winged insects. Hobart: 40 Degrees South Pty. Ltd., 236 pages.