Oenopia adelgivora Poorani

POORANI, J., 2023, An illustrated guide to lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part 1. Tribe Coccinellini, Zootaxa 5332 (1), pp. 1-307 : 200

Oenopia adelgivora Poorani

( Fig. 141 )

Oenopia adelgivora Poorani, 2002b: 107 ( Holotype male, NBAIR; Type locality: Sikkim).— Kovář 2007: 621.

Diagnosis. Length: 3.40–4.10 mm; width: 2.10–2.50 mm. Form elongate oval ( Fig. 141a ), ca. 1.6x as long as wide, apical one-third of elytra distinctly narrowed, dorsoventrally somewhat flattened ( Fig. 141b ), glabrous. Dorsal side dull straw yellow, head with a black, medially excavate posterior macula reaching up to posterior margins of eyes ( Fig. 141c ); pronotum with one or two pairs of ill-defined, pale brown markings, mostly obliterated; scutellar shield black; elytra with a pair of oblique, dark brown to dull black stripes, running from humeral callus to 3/4 th of the length in a mid-dorsal position, mostly ill-defined or obliterated and a narrow sutural stripe. Ventral side dark brown to black, except antennae, mouthparts, legs, prothoracic hypomera, elytral epipleura and sides of abdomen yellowish brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 141e–g ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 141d ) as illustrated.

Distribution. India ( Sikkim, West Bengal); Bhutan.

Prey / associated habitat. Collected on adelgids feeding on conifers ( Pinus wallichiana , Picea spinulosa , Abies densa ); Feeding on Adelges sp. on spruce (label data of holotype).

Note. It appears to be a rare species endemic to the eastern Himalayan region.

Figures

FIGURE 141. Oenopia adelgivora Poorani: a. adult, dorsal view; b. adult, lateral view; c. adult, frontal view; d. spermatheca; e–g. male genitalia: e. tegmen, ventral view; f. tegmen, lateral view; g. penis.