Cryptogonus bimaculatus 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 : 22-23

Cryptogonus bimaculatus Kapur

( Figs 14–16 )

Cryptogonus bimaculatus Kapur, 1948: 100 .— Poorani 2002: 344; Kovář, 2007: 575; Ren et al. 2009: 110, 111; Dorji et al. 2019: 502.

Diagnosis. Form short oval to slightly more elongate oval, dorsum convex and densely pubescent. Head yellow in male, blackish in female, pronotum with a large black macula except anterolateral corners and anterior margin yellowish ( Figs 14a–c , 15a ), pronotal macula occasionally reduced to a transverse black band on posterior margin ( Fig. 15b ); scutellar shield dark pitchy brown to black; elytra ochreous yellow to yellowish brown, with an elongate oval black median spot on each elytron, closer to elytral suture than to lateral margins ( Figs 14a, b , 15a , 16a, b ); occasionally elytra without spots ( Fig. 15b ). Ventral side dark testaceous brown to dark pitchy brown to black except pronotal hypomera, elytral epipleura and legs lighter yellowish brown. Abdominal postcoxal line incomplete ( Fig. 15c ). Male genitalia ( Fig. 15d–f , 16c, d ), female genitalia ( Fig. 15g ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 15h ) as illustrated.

Type material examined. Holotype male, “ Type ( Red bordered circular label)/ Doherty / Assam Patkai Mts / Fry Coll. 1905-100/ Cryptogonus bimaculatus n.sp. ( TYPE), A.P. Kapur, 1947” ( BMNH); 3 Paratypes with yellow bordered circular labels, same data as holotype ( BMNH); “ Paratype (yellow bordered circular label)/ Burma: Mishmi Hills 1935, M. Steele /Brit. Mus. 1935-312/ Cryptogonus bimaculatus n. sp. (Paratype), A.P. Kapur, 1947/Doherty” ( BMNH: 1); “Assam, 85.18/ Cryptogonus bimaculatus Kapur , n.sp. (Paratype), A.P. Kapur, 1947” ( BMNH: 1).

Distribution. India: Northeastern region (Assam; Arunachal Pradesh; Manipur; Meghalaya; Mizoram; Nagaland; Sikkim; Tripura); Bhutan; China; Myanmar; Nepal; Thailand.

Prey / Associated habitat. It is a common species of Cryptogonus in the northeastern region of India. Distributed at an altitude of 500–2000m in the northeastern region of India ( Shantibala & Singh 1991). Feeds on Aphis (Toxoptera) citricidus (Kirkaldy)) on citrus and Hyalopterus pruni on almond and peach; collected on tea, citrus and pigeon pea (label data).

Notes. See Kapur (1948) for detailed description; also illustrated by Ren et al. (2009).

Figures

FIGURE 14. Cryptogonus bimaculatus Kapur, holotype male (BMNH): a. dorsal view; b. lateral view; c. frontal view.

FIGURE 15. Cryptogonus bimaculatus Kapur: a. nominate form; b. variant without elytral spots; c. abdomen; d–f. male genitalia: d. penis; e. tegmen, ventral view; f. tegmen, lateral view; g. female genitalia; h. spermatheca.

FIGURE 16. Cryptogonus bimaculatus Kapur: a, b. dorsal view; c, d. male genitalia: c. tegmen, ventral view; d. penis.