Cryptogonus downingi Kapur

POORANI, J., 2024, An illustrated guide to lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part 3. Tribe Aspidimerini, Zootaxa 5431 (1), pp. 1-89 : 29

Cryptogonus downingi Kapur

( Fig. 20 )

Cryptogonus downingi Kapur, 1948: 107 .— Poorani 2002: 344.

Aspidimerus nigrovittatus sensu Sicard (not Motschulsky, 1866), 1913: 501.

Diagnosis. Form short oval, dorsum convex and densely pubescent ( Fig. 20a–c ). Head orange-yellow, pronotum black except anterolateral corners yellowish, elytra black except apical half reddish testaceous, narrowly margined black and connected with a longitudinal testaceous band running across each elytron ( Fig. 20a, b ). Male genitalia as illustrated ( Fig. 20d, e ).

Type material examined. Holotype, “Type (red bordered circular label)/ Burma /A.K. Weld Downing, Burma / Andrewes Bequest B.M. 1922-221/ Cryptogonus downingi , n.sp. A.P. Kapur, 1947/ Aspidimerus nigrovittatus Mots. ‘S.’ on left bottom corner of the same label; male genitalia mounted on slide ( BMNH).

Distribution. Known from Myanmar, likely to be distributed in the northeastern region of India.

Notes. Kapur (1948) described it from a single male specimen from Burma and the elytral pattern is somewhat close to that of C. complexus (nominate form, Fig. 19a–c ) but the male genitalia appear to be unique. Kapur stated it was a specimen identified by Sicard (1913) as Aspidimerus nigrovittatus Motschulsky, 1866 , originally reported from Ceylon but it did not fit Motschulsky’s (1866) description of the latter species.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Cryptogonus complexus Kapur: a–c. holotype, nominate form (BMNH): a. dorsal view; b. lateral view; c. frontal view; d, e, variant (var. vittatus Kapur); f. abdomen; g–i. male genitalia: g. tegmen, lateral view; h. tegmen, ventral view; i. penis.

FIGURE 20. Cryptogonus downingi Kapur (BMNH): a. dorsal view; b. lateral view; c. frontal view; d, e. male genitalia: d. tegmen, ventral view; e. penis.