Dicranolaius bellulus

Dicranolaius bellulus (common name - Red and blue beetle)^[1] is a species of soft-winged flower beetle in the family Melyridae, found in Australia,^[2] in all mainland states and territories.^[1] It was first (partially) described in 1830 by Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville as Malachius bellulus with the publication of illustrations.^[2][3] However, Guérin-Méneville completed the description with the publication of a text in 1838.^[2][3] Consequently, the Australian Faunal Directory considers the first valid publication to be that of Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1835 (as Malachius bellulus).^[1][4] Taxonomic reasons for the various synonyms are given in a 2017 paper by Liu, Slipinski and Pang.^[1][5]

Dicranolaius bellulus
Dicranolaius bellulus, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Melyridae
Genus:	Dicranolaius
Species:	D. bellulus
Binomial name
Dicranolaius bellulus (Boisduval, 1835)
Synonyms[1]
Laius cyanocephalus Lea, 1899 Laius nidicola Lea, 1899 Laius intermedius Lea, 1899 Laius orcicornis Lea, 1899 Malachius bellulus Boisduval, 1835