January 2016. A question on the identity of this beetle on coconuts.

It was thought to be a chrysomelid, but Chris Reid from the Australian Museum said the following:

“It’s not a Chrysomelid – its an Oedemerid in the tenebrionoid superfamily (i.e., related to Tenebrionidae), larva is woodboring.

“The photo is pretty poor but the tarsi are just visible & not right, the antennae originate from the wrong part of the head, the eyes have the wrong alignment with the head, the combination of smooth unbordered pronotum and smooth impunctate elytra doesn’t happen in chrysomelids”.

But be careful as this insect can cause a blister if it is squashed on your skin.