Pseudaspidimerus uttami 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 : 69-72

Pseudaspidimerus uttami Kapur

( Figs 53 , 54 )

Pseudaspidimerus uttami Kapur, 1948: 122 .

Pseudaspidimerus uttami : Bielawski, 1957: 85.— Poorani, 2001: 303; Poorani 2002: 347.

Diagnosis. Length: 2.46 mm; width: 1.98 mm. Form short oval, dorsum moderately convex and densely pubescent. Ground colour shiny black, anterolateral corners of pronotum narrowly yellow, each elytron with a median, oval or subcircular orange yellow spot ( Figs 53a, b , 54a ) or fully melanic and spotless ( Fig. 54d ). Male genitalia ( Fig. 54j–l ) and female genitalia ( Fig. 54i ) as illustrated (Image courtesy: Lizhi Huo).

The spotted form of P. uttami is similar to variants of P. flaviceps with elytral spots and Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal) , from which it can be differentiated by generic characters such as nature of prosternal process and the male genitalia.

Type material examined. Holotype male: “ Type (red bordered circular label)/ Ceylon, G. Lewis 1910-320/ Galle, on coast level, 27.xi.–4.xii.81/ Pseudaspidimerus uttami , n.sp. ( TYPE), A.P. Kapur det. 147” ( BMNH).

Distribution. Sri Lanka.

Notes. Poorani (2001) wrongly reported P. uttami from India (Karnataka) based on a misidentification of a female variant of P. flaviceps with a similar colour pattern as P. uttami . See Kapur (1948) for detailed description and male genitalia illustrations.

Genus Trigonocarinatus Huo & Ren

( Fig. 55 )

Trigonocarinatus Huo & Ren, 2015: 172 . Type species: Trigonocarinatus bilineatus Kapur, 1948: 115 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Form short and broad oval, dorsum moderately convex and densely pubescent. Antenna 9-segmented ( Fig. 55a ), scape and pedicel largest, remaining antennomeres forming a fusiform club distinctly longer than width of scape. Mentum cordiform, anterior margin medially curved. Maxilla with cardo moderately expanded, terminal palpomere strongly transverse ( Fig. 55b ). Prosternal intercoxal process regular, without a triangular fold, prosternal carinae inverted Y-shaped with a short stem ( Fig. 55c ). Abdominal postcoxal lines incomplete ( Fig. 55d ). Female genitalia ( Fig. 55e ) with coxites transverse; bursa elongate, sperm duct progressively thicker. Male genitalia ( Fig. 55f–h ) with penis slender and strongly curved, penis capsule distinct ( Fig. 55h ).

Notes. This genus was erected by Huo et al. (2015a) to accommodate the members of Cryptogonus belonging to the bilineatus -group defined by Kapur (1948) by the different shape of the prosternal carinae. Huo et al. (2015a) mentioned that five species included by Kapur (1948) in the deltoides- group (comprising Cryptogonus deltoides Kapur , C. deltodirus Kapur , C. tristis Kapur ) and bilineatus- group ( C. bilineatus and C. bryanti ) agree well with Trigonocarinatus in terms of prosternal carinae. However, they did not study any of these species and excluded them from Trigonocarinatus .

Distribution. India; Sri Lanka; China.

Included species. Huo et al. (2015a) described four new species of Trigonocarinatus from China and transferred Cryptogonus montanus Hoang ( Vietnam and China) to it. Among the Indian species, Cryptogonus bilineatus Kapur, C. bryanti Kapur , and C. kapuri Ghorpade belong to Trigonocarinatus and the latter two are treated as synonyms here.

Figures

FIGURE 53. Pseudaspidimerus uttami Kapur, holotype male (BMNH): a, b. dorsal view; c. lateral view; d. frontal view.

FIGURE 54. Pseudaspidimerus uttami Kapur: a–c. nominate form; d–f. melanic variant; g. abdomen, male; h. terminalia, male; i. female genitalia; j–l. male genitalia: j. tegmen, lateral view; k. tegmen, ventral view; l. penis (Image credit: Lizhi Huo).

FIGURE 55. Trigonocarinatus Huo & Ren, diagnostic characters: a. antenna; b. maxilla; c. prosternal carinae; d. abdominal postcoxal line; e. female genitalia; f–h. male genitalia: f. tegmen, ventral view; g. tegmen, lateral view; h. penis.