Melobasis pusilla, Carter Id, 1928

Levey, Brian, 2012, 3464, Zootaxa 3464, pp. 1-107 : 18

Key to the pusilla species-group

1 Apical sternite of abdomen with contiguous lunate punctures, the punctures not forming grooves ( Fig. 144); mesoepisternum microreticulate, with numerous punctures; aedeagus ( Fig. 160)............................ M. inflammabilis Thomson

- Apical sternite of abdomen with coalescent lunate punctures forming grooves ( Figs. 145, 146) mesoepisternum microreticulate, with few punctures....................................................................... 2

2 Male golden-green ( Fig. 88); female blue-green, except along the elytral suture which is narrowly brown-bronze ( Fig. 89); eyes very convex in male, less so in female; head slightly wider across the eyes than pronotum at anterior angles; pronotal punctation very dense, except close to the midline, the punctures separated by less than their own diameter; those at centre of pronotum round or weakly transverse ( Fig. 142); lateral margin of elytra not angled or sinuate between the basal angle and the humeral callosity; aedeagus ( Fig. 161); C. Queensland ........................................... M. pusilla Carter

- Without the above combination of characters................................................................ 3

3 Head, prosternal process and centre of metasternum clothed with fairly long pubescence ( Fig. 147); basal angle of elytra forming an almost right angled shoulder in front of the humeral callosity ( Fig. 143); punctures at centre of pronotum round or weakly transverse, separated by about their own diameter ( Fig. 143): underside, head and pronotum golden to green or coppery; elytra with the lateral margin in the basal half, the basal margin and the suture in the basal fifth golden-green or coppery, the remainder reddish-purple or blackish-violet, or sometimes entirely reddish-purple ( Fig. 90); N. Territory & N.W. Australia M. parvula Carter

- Head, prosternal process and centre of metasternum not clothed with fairly long pubescence (Fig. 70); without the other combination of characters............................................................................... 4

4 Head slightly narrower across the eyes than pronotum at anterior angles; more elongate; pronotum less transverse; underside and head emerald green; pronotum coppery-brown at centre, emerald green along the anterior margin and in the lateral half; elytra reddish-violet with a broad golden-green lateral vitta, extending from the basal angle over the humeral callosity to the apical quarter ( Fig. 93); C. Queensland; male unknown M. kanguluorum sp. n.

- Head as wide or slightly wider across the eyes than pronotum at anterior angles; less elongate; pronotum more transverse ( Figs.91, 92); S.W. Australia........................................................... M. paucipunctata sp. n.