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Unidentified Australian Beetle
Congratulations on you site. I have searched through all 17 Beetle volumes and have not found anything like the enclosed images. The photographs were taken in foothills (about 1000 ft above sea level) about 30 miles from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. I was on an excursion with some Field Naturalists who call the beetle an ‘Assassin bug’. However, it seems to be different from Gminatus australis, and I have been unable to identify it even though it is not uncommon in the area. The body of the bug is about 1 inch long. I would very much appreciate any information you may have.
Dr David G Hewitt

Hi Dr Hewitt,
Though the field naturalists who told you this was an Assassin Bug were mistaken, they at least had the order correct. These are immature Coreid Bugs, a family known as Leaf Footed Bugs or Big Legged Bugs, not Beetles. We did some research on the GeoCities website and found two matches in the same genus with slightly different information. Both are commonly called Gum Tree Bugs. The first is Amorbus obscuricornis, also called the Eucalyptus Tip Bug. A second page on the GeoCities site is devoted to the genus Amorbus generally, and refers to the members as Clown Bugs, Gum Tree Bugs, Sap Sucking Bugs or Squash Bugs, as well as the even more generic Coreid Bugs. Back in December, we received other images of Immature Gum Tree Bugs and the coloration is slightly different than in your photos.

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