Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal)

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

Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal)

( Figs 27–31 )

Coccinella orbicula Gyllenhal , in Schönherr, 1808: 205.

Cryptogonus orbiculus : Mulsant 1850: 945.— Kapur 1948: 86; Poorani 2002: 345; Kovář 2007: 576; Ren et al. 2009: 118, 119; Dorji et al. 2019: 502.

Aspidimerus fulvocinctus Mulsant, 1853: 266 .— Kapur 1948: 94 (synonymized and treated as a variety of C. orbiculus ); Poorani 2002: 345.

Cryptogonus fulvocinctus : Chunram & Sasaji 1980: 478.

Cryptogonus orbiculus fulvocinctus : Bielawski, 1979: 107.

Coccinella antica Walker, 1859: 219 .— Kapur 1948: 95 (synonymized and treated as a variety of C. orbiculus ); Poorani 2002: 345.

Diagnosis. Length: 2.20–2.80 mm; width: 1.80–2.10 mm. Form oval, moderately convex. Head black in females, yellowish in males. Pronotum black, except anterior corners lighter, yellowish. Elytra black, each elytron with a large, oval or circular orange-yellow or reddish discal spot about middle in nominate form.

Several varieties of this species have been described, with habitus illustrations by Kapur (1948). Cryptogonus orbiculus fulvocinctus (Mulsant) ( Figs 27a , 28a ) is the commonly collected form in northeastern India. It is characterized by the following combination of characters: Head pale yellowish or testaceous. Pronotum black with anterolateral corners yellow or testaceous. Elytra with a large discal black marking of variable size ( Figs 27a , 28a ), leaving lateral margins broadly yellow or testaceous. Male genitalia and other characters similar to the typical form. Another variant of this type with somewhat differently shaped elytral maculation but identical male genitalia is illustrated in Fig. 29a .

The immaculate form collected from parts of the Western Ghats of South India (Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu) ( Fig. 30 ) was originally described as a distinct species, Coccinella antica Walker (1959) , from ‘Ceylon’ (now Sri Lanka) and was later reduced to a variety of C. orbiculus by Kapur (1948). It has the following combination of characters: Head pale yellow. Pronotum and elytra uniformly reddish or yellowish testaceous without any other spots or markings ( Fig. 30a ). Ventral side, particularly prosternal process ( Fig. 30b ), darker reddish brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 30d–f ) similar to those of nominate form.

Another variant with more elongate and narrower elytral maculae and similar male genitalia is illustrated in Fig. 31 .

Type material examined. “ Type (H. T.), red bordered circular label/antica W./6352/Coccinel. antica (blue label)/ Cryptogonus anticus (Walker), A.P. Kapur 1947” ( BMNH) .

Distribution. India: Common in northeastern region, present in South India but rarely collected (Assam; Karnataka; Kerala; Meghalaya; Sikkim; Tamil Nadu; Uttarakhand; West Bengal); Sri Lanka; Nepal; Bhutan; Thailand; Indo-Malayan region; Japan; China; Guam; Micronesia.

Prey/associated habitat. Hemiptera : Aphididae : Aphis craccivora Koch , Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel , Aphis (Toxoptera) aurantii Boyer de Fonscolombe. Collected in association with aphids infesting cowpea; collected on beans and sunflower (label data).

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during April–May and November (northern India); March (Kerala).

Notes. See Kapur (1948) and Sasaji (1971) for detailed description and illustrations of elytral pattern variations and male genitalia. Aspidimerus fulvocinctus Mulsant, 1853 and Coccinella antica Walker, 1859 , were synonymized with C. orbiculus by Kapur (1948), who treated both as varieties of C. orbiculus . Chunram & Sasaji (1980) listed Cryptogonus fulvocinctus as a valid species. Bielawski (1979) treated fulvocinctus as a subspecies of C. orbiculus .

Figures

FIGURE 27. Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal), variant: a. dorsal view; b–e. male genitalia: b. tegmen, lateral view; c. tegmen, ventral view; d. penis; e. penis apex.

FIGURE 28. Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal), variant: a. dorsal view; b. abdomen, male; c–e. male genitalia: c. tegmen, lateral view; d. tegmen, ventral view; e. penis.

FIGURE 29. Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal), variant: a. dorsal view; b. lateral view; c. frontal view; d. abdomen, male; e–g. male genitalia: e. tegmen, lateral view; f. tegmen, ventral view; g. penis.

FIGURE 30. Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal), immaculate variant; a. dorsal view; b. prosternal process; c. abdomen, male; d–f. male genitalia: d. tegmen, lateral view; e. tegmen, ventral view; f. penis.

FIGURE 31. Cryptogonus near orbiculus (Gyllenhal), variant: a. dorsal view; b. lateral view; c. abdomen; d–f. male genitalia: d. tegmen, lateral view; e. tegmen, ventral view; f. penis.