Steelblue Jewel Leaf Beetle vs Click Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Steelblue Jewel Leaf Beetle Click Beetle
Scientific Name Lamprolina aeneipennis Alaus oculatus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Elateridae
Size 12-18 mm 25-45 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions Eastern Australia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Steelblue Jewel Leaf Beetle

A large, robust Australian leaf beetle with brilliant metallic steely-blue to purple elytra and a dark green pronotum. It is associated with Eucalyptus and related Myrtaceae in eastern Australia.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the largest and most spectacularly metallic chrysomelid beetles in Australia, with coloring rivaling tropical jewel beetles.

Click Beetle

Has a special mechanism that allows it to snap its body with a click, launching itself up to 30 cm into the air. The large eyespots on its thorax startle predators.

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Did You Know?

Click beetles launch themselves into the air without using their legs — they use a peg-and-groove mechanism on their thorax that releases like a spring, reaching accelerations of 400g.