Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps (Walker)

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 : 52-57

Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps (Walker)

( Figs 39–42 )

Coccinella flaviceps Walker, 1859: 219 .

Scymnus flaviceps : Gemminger & Harold 1876: 3793.— Korschefsky 1931: 142.

Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps : Kapur 1948: 123.— Bielawski 1957: 85; Poorani 2002: 346.

Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps var. limbatus Kapur, 1948: 124 .

Aspidimerus horni Weise, 1900: 424 .— Korschefsky 1931: 172; Synonymized by Kapur 1948: 123.

Diagnosis. Length: 2.25–2.40 mm; width: 1.75–2.00 mm. Head pale yellow, rest of dorsal side uniformly pale golden yellow, orange yellow or yellowish brown, with dense pubescence ( Fig. 39a ). Occasionally elytra yellow with black discal maculae ( Fig. 41a–c ), or fully black ( Fig. 41d–f ) or black with two reddish / yellowish, oval discal spots ( Fig. 41b, d ), discal spots sometimes extending up to basal margin ( Fig. 39c ), or elytra yellow-orange with an elongate median black macula ( Fig. 40a–c ) and infuscate humeral patches. Prosternal carinae ( Fig. 40d ) subparallel to gently divergent in anterior half. Posterior margin of last visible ventrite in male narrowly but visibly notched. Male genitalia ( Figs 39e, f , 40f–h ) characteristic, with penis ( Fig. 39f , 40f ) anteriorly greatly swollen and almost balloon-like, distinct from other congeners; penis guide of tegmen ( Fig. 39e , 40g, h ) with subparallel sides for nearly 3/4 th of its length and gradually narrowed thereafter towards a subconical apex, with dense microtrichiae on inner surface.

Immature stages. Life stages as illustrated in Fig. 42 .

Type material examined. Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps var. limbatus Kapur : “ Type (red bordered circular label)/Ceylon, A. Rutherford 1919-35/Peradeniya, Ceylon, 7.12.14/1/ Pseudaspidimerus flavipes var. n. limbatus A. P. Kapur det. 1947” ( BMNH) . Other material. INDIA: Karnataka: Madure: near Rajanukunte (~ 8 km from Bangalore ), 19.v.2000, Coll. S. K. Rajeshwari, reared from grubs feeding on Aphis gossypii on guava, 21 ex.; Bangalore , 16.ii.1980, Coll. Clement Peter, on guava mealybugs, 1 ex. ; same data except dates 20.vi.1975, 14.iii.1981, 16.v.1980, 3 ex.; xi.1960, CIBC-IS coll., larva feeding on aphids on cotton, 1 ex.; 9.iii.56, Coll. V. P. Rao, reared from larvae feeding on indet. aphids on citrus, 6 ex. ( NBAIR) ; India: Kerala: Wayanad, Elston Tea Factory , 11°36’31”N 76°05’38”E, 19.iv. 2018, 782m, Viswajyothi K Coll., 1 male ( NRCB) .

Distribution. India (Goa; Karnataka; Kerala; Tamil Nadu); Sri Lanka.

Prey/associated habitat. Hemiptera : Aleyrodidae : Aleurodicus dispersus Russell ; Aphididae : Aphis gossypii Glover , Aphis spiraecola Patch , Aphis (Aphis) odinae (van der Goot) . Diaspididae : Comstockaspis perniciosa (Comstock) . Very commonly associated with aphids and/or coccids infesting cashew, guava, maize, sorghum, coconut, teak, and brinjal in southern India. Collected on Solanum torvum (label data).

Seasonal occurrence. Commonly collected almost throughout the year.

Notes. It is a highly variable species and the forms with discal elytral spots are similar to C. orbiculus and P. uttami (known from Sri Lanka). There are some intermediate forms as well and the male genitalia, particularly the penis guide, also show some intraspecific variation; however, the anteriorly greatly swollen penis is unique and diagnostic. See Kapur (1948) and Poorani (2001) for detailed description and illustrations.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps (Walker): a–d. variants; e, f. male genitalia: e. tegmen, ventral view; f. penis; g. spermatheca.

FIGURE 40. Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps (Walker), variant: a. dorsal view; b. lateral view; c. frontal view; d. prosternum; e. abdomen; f–h. male genitalia: f. penis; g. tegmen, lateral view; h. tegmen, ventral view.

FIGURE 41. Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps (Walker), type material (BMNH): a–c. nominate form; d–f. var. limbatus Kapur.

FIGURE 42. Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps (Walker), life stages: a, b. eggs; c–e. larva; f, g. pupae; h. eclosing adult.