
Porrostoma rufipennis (Fabricius, 1801) (a species of net-winged beetle)
Basis for Tasmanian occurrence
Classification
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Elateroidea
Family: Lycidae
Subfamily: Metriorrhynchinae
Tribe: Metriorrhynchini
Morphology
Morphology (characterised by L. Forster): — Elytra partly or entirely orange (variable); punctures in double rows — 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]
Ecology
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 a year of felling (Grove & Bashford, 2003) — 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: — Baited trapping (funnel trap) — Emergence trapping from log of Eucalyptus obliqua — Hand collection (substrate not specified) — Hand collection from flowers of Eucryphia lucida (Ettershanks & Ettershanks, 1993) — Malaise trapping — Not specified — Pitfall trapping.
b
Grove, S.J. & Bashford, R. (2003). Beetle assemblages from the Warra log decay project: insights from the first year of sampling. Tasforests 14: 117-129.
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.
Yee, M. (2005). The ecology and habitat requirements of saproxylic beetles native to Tasmanian wet eucalypt forests: potential impacts of commercial forestry practices. PhD thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.

