Paropsis pantherina

Paropsis pantherina Image from PaDIL used with permission

Pantherina has an unclear etymology

Panther = Pan (all) + ther (beast)

This beetle is tiny and may be described as a small (spotted) panther.

Paropsis pantherina Specimen supplied by Geoff Walker.

I have seen this only once in Victoria.

And once in Menangle, NSW.

There is some dispute about the identity of this beetle which looks similar to P. obsoleta and named as such in publications. P. obsoleta refers to a different species.

It was identified by its visual similarity to an image on PaDIL That determination was made by Peter Kelly.