Cryptogonus postmedialis 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 : 43-45

Cryptogonus postmedialis Kapur

( Fig. 32 )

Cryptogonus postmedialis Kapur, 1948: 95 .— Ren et al. 2009: 120, 121.

Cryptogonus postmedialis var. sushila Kapur, 1948: 97 .— Poorani 2002: 345; Kovář 2007: 576; Ren et al. 2009: 120, 121; Dorji et al. 2019: 503.

Diagnosis. Length: 2.00– 2.50 mm; width: 1.50–1.85 mm. Form ( Fig. 32a, b, e, f ) oblong oval, convex. Head black in females, yellow in males. Pronotum black except anterolateral corners yellowish. Scutellar shield black. Elytra black, each elytron with an oval, yellowish-orange spot in the apical third ( Fig. 32a, b, c ), these spots variable in size and shape, usually both spots fused together to form a transverse yellow band just before apex ( Fig. 32f ); elytra entirely black in var. sushila ( Fig. 32e ). Ventral side black, except legs lighter, yellowish brown. Genitalia not studied.

Type material examined. Holotype male, “ INDIA: Ranikhet, Kumaon Hills, U.P., H. G. Champion” ( BMNH); Cryptogonus postmedialis ab. sushila: “ Paratype ( Yellow bordered circular label)/ Burma : Mishmi Hills , Dingliang, 2450 ft, 2.iii.1935, M. Steele /Brit. Mus. 1935-312” ( BMNH); ab. nigerrima Kapur: “64288/Doherty/Birmah, Karen Mts /Fry Coll. 1905-100/ Cryptogonus postmedialis ab. nigerrima A.P. Kapur det. 1946”.

Distribution. India: Distributed in the Himalayas from Kumaon hills to Darjeeling in India and Mishmi Hills in Burma ( Kapur 1948, 1963 a) (Andamans; Assam; Manipur; Sikkim; Uttarakhand; West Bengal); Bhutan; Nepal; Myanmar; China.

Prey/associated habitat. Hemiptera : Diaspididae : Aspidiotus destructor Signoret. Collected on tea and coconut.

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during April–May, July–August, October–November in northeastern region.

Notes. See Kapur (1948) for detailed description and illustrations. The type material of C. postmedialis (BMNH, examined) is variously named as ab. nigerrima, ab. darjeelingi, and ab. chandra, but only var. sushila is mentioned in his published description of C. postmedialis and its variants ( Kapur 1948). Bielawski (1957) discussed the differences between C. postmedialis and C. orbiculus , a similar looking species.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Cryptogonus postmedialis Kapur: a, c, d. type material (BMNH): a. dorsal view; c. lateral view; d. frontal view; b, e, f. variants, dorsal view (BMNH).