Porrostoma atratus (Fabricius, 1801) (a species of net-winged 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 Metrorrhynchus atratus)

TMAG collections

Typical length (mm): 13
Flightedness: winged and assumed capable of flight
Morphology (characterised by L. Forster): — Elytra completely black and with double rows of punctures — Head with short rostrum — Pronotum black, divided into seven distinct areolets — Wings present.

Source literature on morphology and taxonomy (*primary taxonomic source, where identified):
*Fabricius, J.C. (1801). Systema Eleutheratorum secundum ordines, genera, species: adiectis synonymis, locis, observationibus, descriptionibus. 2. Bibl. Acad. Nov., Kill., 610 pages.
Lea, A.M. (1909b). Revision of the Australian and Tasmanian Malacodermidae. Trans. Roy. Entom. Soc. Lond. 1909: 45-251. [Page 48]

Assumed larval feeding: predator
Association with dead wood or old trees: obligately saproxylic

Ecological attributes: — 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 — Flight intercept trapping (trough below Malaise trap) — Malaise trapping — Pitfall trapping — Sticky trapping on Eucalyptus obliqua — Trunk window trapping (Harrison, 2007).

Source ecological literature:
Grove, S.J. (2009b). Beetles and fuelwood harvesting: a retrospective study from Tasmania’s southern forests. Tasforests 18: 77-99.
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.
Harrison, K.S. (2007). Saproxylic beetles associated with habitat features in Eucalyptus obliqua trees in the southern forests of Tasmania. PhD thesis, Dept. of Zoology, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.