Melobasis gloriosa (Laporte & Gory, 1837)

Levey, Brian, 2012, 3464, Zootaxa 3464, pp. 1-107 : 68

Key to the gloriosa species-group

1 Base of elytra markedly biarcuate; each elytron with traces of four costae; upperside and underside golden-green, the elytra with a specifically diagnostic blackish-lilac pattern (Fig. 129) M. eximia sp. n.

- Without the above combination of characters................................................................ 2

2 Mesoepisternum with numerous large round setae-bearing punctures (Fig. 44); elytra with two or three costae; elytra with well defined vittae and fasciae ( Fig. 140)........................................................... M. similis sp. n.

- Mesoepisternum without or with very few large round setae-bearing punctures, but with few to many small non setae-bearing punctures; elytra usually with at most only one costa; elytra with or without well defined vittae and fasciae.............. 3

3 Large, robust, entirely brown-bronze species ( Fig. 141); length 14–21mm ............................ M. robusta Carter

- Smaller, less robust species, very variable in colour and markings; length 8–14mm .................................. 4

4 Lateral half of pronotum clothed with fairly long conspicuous pubescence; mesoepisternum shiny, mirror like, unpunctured except at the margins; underside densely clothed with long conspicuous pubescence; uniformly greyish bronze (Fig. 131)........................................................................................ M. specularis sp. n.

- Lateral half of pronotum glabrous or with pubescence only close to the lateral carina, without the other characteristics combined............................................................................................... 5

5 Underside densely clothed with long pubescence, particularly conspicuous on the prosternal process; narrow species (Fig. 130); aedeagus very elongate ( Fig. 192)....................................................... M. angusta sp. n.

- Underside usually less densely clothed with shorter pubescence; less narrow species ( Figs. 132–139); aedeagus less elongate ( Figs. 193, 194)....................................................................................... 6

6 Subspecies from New South Wales; consistently sexually dichromatic, females entirely brown- or grey-bronze ( Fig.138); males with the head and underside entirely golden-green, pronotum golden-green with a pair of coppery or purple-brown admedian vittae in the basal two-thirds, elytra coppery or purple-brown with the suture in the basal fifth and a broad oblique vitta extending from the base almost to the apex golden-green, (sometimes the vitta is divided just behind the middle) ( Fig. 139); elytra usually with a well defined costa lateral to the subsutural depression, and sometimes traces of a second; punctation of elytra lateral to the costa with scarcely any indications of seriation.................... M. gloriosa cruentata Thomson

- Subspecies from W. Australia; colour and markings very variable, not consistently sexually dichromatic ( Figs. 132–137); elytra sometimes with, however, often without a well defined costa lateral to the subsutural depression; punctation in central third of elytra usually partly seriate.......................................... M. gloriosa gloriosa (Laporte & Gory)