Eriopis connexa (Germar, 1824)

Celli, Nathália Del G. da R., Almeida, Lúcia M., Basílio, Daniel S. & Castro, Camila F., 2021, The way to maturity: taxonomic study on immatures of Southern Brazilian Coccinellini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) species important in biological control, Zoologia (e 64154) 38, pp. 1-18 : 11-14

Eriopis connexa (Germar, 1824)

Figs 9, 53–65

Adult ( Fig. 53) Length 5.67–6.67 mm; width 3.00– 3.50 mm. Body oval-elongated, glabrous, and slightly convex. Dark brown to black head. Antennae with regular and elongated scape, twice the length of the pedicel. Pronotum hexagonal, black, with a yellowish-white or orange stripe on the lateral margins, a small triangular spot on the anterior margin and a twice larger spot at base. Elytra black with seven yellowish-white or orange rounded spots: four spots parallel to the suture, the first juxtaposed to the base and the last at apex of elytra; the second and third rounded spots, close to the elytral suture; the fifth and sixth spots juxtaposed to the elytral outer margin, joined to a narrow marginal band of the same color as the spots.

Fourth instar larva ( Figs 54, 57–65). Length 6.67–7.17 mm; width 1.67–2.00 mm. Body elongated, cylindrical and tapered, with strumae, dark brown tegument and well-demarcated whitish yellow areas of mesonotum, metanotum, and abdominal segments 1 to 8. Head: dark brown with some light areas, triangular with rounded edges and thin light and sparse bristles. Epicranial suture with frontal arms U-shaped ( Fig. 57). Three pairs of subconical stemmata, dark brown, dorsolateral, near the base of the antennae ( Fig. 60). Antennae with 3 antennomeres; antennomere 1 wider and approximately twice as short as antennomere 2; this one with two apical bristles and a series of papillae; antennomere 3 broad spine shaped with rounded apex ( Fig. 59). Labrum with sparse bristles ( Fig. 57). Well-sclerotized mandible with two apical teeth and mola with acuminate tooth, with a long bristle above the condyle ( Fig. 58). Maxilla with mala (galea + lacinia) largely trapezoidal, rounded at apex, with some long-curved bristles on the outer margin. Maxillary palp with three palpomeres; the last two with sparse bristles; the apex of the last palpomere with sensillae ( Fig. 61). Labium, with distinct ligule, the last palpomere with small sparse and stout sensillae at apex ( Fig. 62). Thorax: pronotum with two sclerotized, semi-oval, light brown plates with two longitudinal dark brown spots, the internal ones longer than the external ones, separated by a narrow band ( Fig. 54). External edge of the plates with about 28 long-bristle chalazae; central surface of the plates without chalazae and with few sparse short bristles in the marginal areas. Dark brown meso- and metanotum plates with oval central area light yellow ( Fig. 54). Mesonotum plate with truncated anterior margin without chalazae, semi-circular outer margin with four chalazae each one with long and short bristles; truncated inner margin; posterior margin with a chalaza with short bristle; dorsal struma with two long chalazae; dorsal surface of the plate with approximately six chalazae with long bristles. Mesothorax with four chalazae with short bristles on the lateral yellowish struma. A pair of circular anterolateral spiracles with lamellae at the opening ( Fig. 64). Metanotum with transverse plate, semi-circular outer margin; truncated inner margin; lateral margin of the plate with approximately four chalazae with long setae; anterior margin without chalazae; posterior margin with one chalaza of short bristle; dorsal struma with four long-bristled chalazae; dorsal surface of the plate with approximately 14 chalazae with long bristles; lateral struma of the metathorax yellowish with four chalazae of short bristles. Legs developed dark brown ( Fig. 54), with sparse whitish yellow hair; tibia with dorsal and lateral rows of bristles; ventrally with a bristle brush, most tapered and some spatulate at the apex near the tarsal claw; simple tarsal claw, without basal tooth with bristle on the outer face ( Fig. 63). Abdomen: with ten segments, S9 facing downwards. S1 to S8 with a pair of anterolateral spiracles similar to those of the mesosternum ( Fig. 65). S1 yellowish with a yellowish spot surrounded by dark brown. Dorsally from S2 to S8 dark brown; S2 with a white oval spot in the center, and four black dorsal-lateral strumae; S3 to S8 dark brown with a trapezoidal central spot; S9 dark brown with four black strumae ( Fig. 54). Laterally, each segment with a pair of strumae; S1, S4, S5 and S6 with whitish yellow strumae and in the other dark brown ( Fig. 54). Ventrally each segment with four strumae with 4 to 5 chalazae, arranged transversely. Dorsal strumae of the abdomen with two chalazae with long bristle; 5 to 7 small, short bristles distributed on the surface; dorsal-lateral strumae with two chalazae with long bristle and one with short bristles; lateral strumae with three large chalazae with long bristle; about 20 small chalazae with short bristles on all the surface ( Fig. 54). Tergite of S9 with approximately 100 chalazae with many long bristles; dorsally with four chalazae with long bristles; most of them confined to the apical third of the segment.

First instar larva. Length 1.44–2.32 mm; width 0.44–0.56 mm. Elongated, cylindrical, and tapering body, with whitish yellow integument, with brown head and thoracic plates brown. Head, stemmata, antennae, and mouthparts similar to fourth instar larva. Pro-thoracic strumae longer than those of the fourth instar. Abdominal strumae similar in size and color to those of the meso and metanotum.

Second instar larva. Length 4.00– 4.50 mm; width 0.08– 1.00 mm. Thoracic and abdominal strumae shorter than those of the first instar; head structures similar to those of the first instar.

Third instar larva. Length 4.17–5.25 mm; width 0.92– 1.25 mm. Larvae with color similar to the fourth instar.

Pupa ( Figs 55–56). Length 4.83–5.17 mm; width 2.83–4.50 mm. Dark brown with black spots, distributed throughout the body. Body with elongated contour, convex and truncated at anterior region. Pronotum with two spots on each side, one on base and one on apex; Mesonotum and metanotum with a big oval spot on each side; Elytra with two elongated spots, one on the full inner edge and the other on the full outer edge. Abdominal segments: S1 and S7 without defined spots; S2 to S6 with one subtriangular spot on each side, extending to central area ( Figs 55–56).