Pseudaspidimerus lambai 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 : 57-61

Pseudaspidimerus lambai Kapur

( Figs 45 , 46 )

Pseudaspidimerus lambai Kapur, 1967: 166 .— Poorani 2002: 346.

Diagnosis. Length: 2.25 mm; width: 1.85 mm. Form short oval, moderately convex, dorsum densely pubescent with silvery white hairs ( Fig. 45a–c ). Head yellow in male ( Fig. 45c ), black in female except area above upper margin of eyes including clypeus yellowish ( Fig. 46c ); pronotum black except anterolateral corners and sides yellow, posterolateral corners black; elytra black, extreme apical margin of elytra lighter testaceous. elytral apices yellowish, antenna yellowish brown, mouthparts darker brown, Ventral side with all legs yellowish, prosternal process with arms yellowish brown, hypomera yellowish brown, abdominal ventrites laterally yellowish brown. Abdominal ventrite 5 posteriorly weakly emarginate, ventrite 6 posteriorly distinctly and broadly emarginate. Male genitalia ( Fig. 45e–h ) and female genitalia ( Fig. 45i ) as illustrated.

Type material examined. Holotype male: INDIA: South Andaman : Burmah Nallah, 100 ft, 14.iv.1964, Coll. B.S. Lamba (Regd. No. 2306/H4A) ( ZSIK) ; Paratype: Andamans: Humphrygunj, 7.iii.1964, unsexed ( ZSIK) . Other material. India : South Andaman, Jiryatang, N 11°49’53.4” E 92°39’17.4”, 2m, 19.iv.2014, Prathapan KD Coll., 2 ex; India: Little Andaman, VK Pur N 10°41’47.0” E 92°33’25.8”, 56m, 30.iv.2014, Prathapan KD Coll., 1 ex. ( NRCB) .

Distribution. India: Endemic to Andamans.

Prey / Associated habitat. Collected on coconut (label data); predatory on coconut scales ( Veenakumari & Mohanraj 2007).

Seasonal occurrence. Collected in March–April (label data).

Notes. It is a distinctive species endemic to the Andamans. Kapur (1967) described and illustrated it from Andamans.

Figures

FIGURE 45. Pseudaspidimerus lambai Kapur: a. dorsal view; b. lateral view; c. frontal view; d. abdominal postcoxal line; e–h. male genitalia: e. tegmen, lateral view; f. tegmen, ventral view; g, h. penis; i. female genitalia.

FIGURE 46. Pseudaspidimerus lambai Kapur, paratype (BMNH).