Cycloneda sicardi (Brèthes) González & Vandenberg, 2006

González, Guillermo & Vandenberg, Natalia J., 2006, Review of lady beetles in the Cycloneda germainii species complex (Coleoptera; Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae: Coccinellini) with descriptions of new and unusual species from Chile and surrounding countries, Zootaxa 1311, pp. 13-50 : 42-46

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.173868
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/527187C4-1011-BC42-0650-FA9F8373FBF8
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Cycloneda sicardi (Brèthes)
status	comb. nov.

Treatment

Cycloneda sicardi (Brèthes) new combination

( Figs. 2B View FIGURE 2 ; 3F, J–L View FIGURE 3 ; 5E–H View FIGURE 5 ; 7A View FIGURE 7 ; 8F View FIGURE 8 ; 9G View FIGURE 9 ; 11 View FIGURE 11 )

Coccinella Sicardi Brèthes 1925: 152 View in CoL (as new replacement name for Coccinella areata Mulsant , preoccupied by Coccinella areata Panzer 1794: 7 ); Korschefsky 1932: 510 (as synonym of Coccinella areata Mulsant ); Blackwelder 1945: 454 (as synonym of Coccinella areata Mulsant ).

Coccinella areata Mulsant 1850: 99, 1866: 92 ; Crotch 1874: 106; Weise 1910: 21 (as junior primary homonym); Korschefsky 1932: 510; Blackwelder 1945: 454; Gordon 1987: 12 (as Coccinellina areata ).

Coccinellina areata: Timberlake 1943: 52 ; Gordon 1987: 12; Vandenberg 2002: 226 (transfer to Cycloneda View in CoL ).

Coccinella boliviana Weise 1910: 21 (proposed as replacement name, misidentification, not C. boliviana Mulsant ).

Diagnosis: Distinguished from similar appearing members of the genus by the combination of antenna composed of 11 antennomeres ( Fig. 9G View FIGURE 9 ), pronotum with uneven creamcolored to yellow anterior and lateral borders ( Figs. 3J–L View FIGURE 3 ), and elytron with a pale subapical mark centered relatively distant from the apex. Cycloneda sicardi appears to be most closely related to C. boliviana , but differs in having the uneven pale pronotal borders, with scallops and spur like projections onto the disc, or with anterior border narrowed to obsolete. The spaces between elytral punctures are weakly shining, distinctly reticulate. This species is sometimes mistaken for Cycloneda germainii (see discussion under the diagnosis of that species for distinguishing characters). The short ovotriangulate basal lobe and very thick parameres of the male genitalia are distinctive.

Description (female specimen from El Rincón, Catamarca): Length 3.8 mm, width 2.8. Form oval, moderately convex, narrowly explanate, lateral margin broadly evenly arcuate, apically tapered, somewhat pointed, extreme apex rounded. Punctation on dorsal surfaces shallow, regular, each puncture separated by 1.5–2.5X its diameter; surface between punctures weakly shiny, distinctly reticulate; punctures on head, pronotum deeper than punctures on elytron.

Dorsal color pattern as follows: Head black to dark brown with irregular creamcolored band comprising row of three contiguous spots, one at inner margin of each eye extending from eye canthus to slightly above mid level of eye, one of rounded diamond shape on frons; eye shiny silver grey; labrum very dark brown. Pronotum ( Fig. 3J View FIGURE 3 ) predominantly blackish; lateral margins narrowly yellow creamcolored, widened apically to enclose entire anterior angle, tapered to a point opposite inner orbit of eye, continued as trace across anterior margin of pronotum. Elytron predominantly black to dark brown, with ferrugineous yellow orange circumferential band, four yellow creamcolored maculae as shown ( Fig. 5G View FIGURE 5 ): one semioval positioned against elytral base, narrowly separated from scutellar notch; two irregularly rounded in row near midline, outer macula vaguely subquadrate resting against yellow orange band, inner macula closer to suture than to outer macula; one in apical third between sutural, lateral margins. Yellow orange circumferential band slightly expanded near elytral apex, slightly dilated and lighter colored just outside humeral bulge. Union of dark, light areas somewhat irregular, suffused, ferrugineous. Double to triple row of staggered punctures in pale circumferential band distinguished by pinpoint of brown pigmentation.

Ground color of ventral surfaces black or very dark brown; elytral epipleuron pale yellow orange; pronotal hypomeron, mesepimeron yellow creamcolored; mouthparts ocherous with last segment of maxillary palpus brown at apex; antenna ocherous with last 3 antennomeres light brown, darker near apex; posterior margins of abdominal ventrites narrowly dark reddish brown; leg black to dark reddish brown, with protibia, apex of meso, metatibiae lighter orange brown; all tarsi amber brown except apical tarsomere dark reddish amber. Ventral surfaces including appendages clothed in fine decumbent silvery pubescence.

Eyes finely facetted, separated by 2½X eye diameter; inner orbits nearly parallel in lower half, diverging at upper level. Antenna of 11 antennomeres ( Fig. 9G View FIGURE 9 ), combined length greater than distance between eyes; third antennomere slightly longer than fourth. Pronotum convex at disc, with lateral 1/5 weakly declivitous to explanate, lateral margin weakly reflexed beginning just before transparent border; pronotal outline with basal margin subsinuate, lateral margin strongly evenly arcuate, anterior margin subtrapezoidally emarginate, medially linear; anterior angles subtriangulate, projecting anteroventrally. Elytron moderately broad ( Figs. 5G View FIGURE 5 ), in dorsal view with humeral angle narrowly arcuate, broadly evenly arcuate for rest of length, broadest at middle of length, apex rounded; outer margin of elytron weakly explanate just before transparent border, slightly very narrowly reflexed near humeral angle; epipleuron descending externally, concave in anterior half. Prosternum Tshaped, with median 1/6 of transverse basal piece convex, somewhat protuberant, lateral arms folded back from center, slightly explanate toward lateral margin; intercoxal process convex with narrow median sulcus extending along length, traversing beyond half way point of transverse basal part. Mesosternum trapezoidal; anterior border approximately linear with weak arcuate emargination at middle, with raised margin. Metasternum broad, with postmesocoxal line reaching lateral margin; shallowly transversely rugulose; discrimen present, distinct except for extreme ends. Abdomen slightly elongate semioval, broadest near apex of first ventrite, base of second ventrite; posterior margin of ventrites 1–4 linear, of 5 arcuately rounded, exposed portion of 6 narrow ovotriangulate; postmetacoxal line of first abdominal ventrite curved posterolaterad, closely paralleling posterior margin for much of length, not attaining lateral margin. Tarsal claw with rectangular basal tooth.

Female genitalia (specimen from Tacuil , Salta) as in figure 8F.

Male: Abdomen with posterior margin of ventrites 5, 6 rounded with shallow emargination in median third. Male genitalia (specimen from Tacuil, Salta) as in figure 7A: basal lobe short, stout, with greatest width at basal one fourth; tapered beyond with sides weakly arcuate; parameres thick, reaching 4/5 distance to apex of basal lobe.

Variation: Length 3.3 to 4.1 mm. Head with pale area as described, or more or less extensive; pattern not gender specific, or only showing a slight tendency; female only rarely with pale area divided medially. Elytral color pattern and pronotal color pattern vary as shown ( Figs. 2B View FIGURE 2 , 5E–H View FIGURE 5 ; Figs. 3J–L View FIGURE 3 ). The specimen described above, and a few others from Catamarca appear quite similar to the holotype, particularly in the pronotal markings ( Fig. 3J View FIGURE 3 ) and elytral coloration. The majority of specimens included under this name possess a somewhat shorter body form, and shinier elytra with a greater contrast between the color of the ferrugineous elytral border and the pale elytral maculae (e.g. the habitus drawing of a specimen from Cafayate, Salta; fig. 2B). Variations in the size and shape of the elytral maculae are more conservative, and not concordant with differences in body size, elytral coloration, or pronotal markings. The pronotal markings of the majority of the material studied has projections from the pale anterolateral borders extending onto the disc ( Fig. 3L View FIGURE 3 ); in some, these are interrupted to form a pair of isolated discal spots.

Type material: Lectotype of C. areata (= same as C. sicardi ), designated by Gordon 1987 “Museum Paris, Chuquisaca, D’Orbigny/7980 34 [round label, green obverse]/2981/ 34 [yellow label]/museum [yellow label]/ Coccinella areata Muls. , auct. det./ Lectotype Coccinella areata Mulsant, Gordon 1971 ].” ( MNHP, specimen examined).

Remarks: Weise (1910) proposed Coccinella boliviana Mulsant as a replacement name for C. areata already in use by Panzer (1794). Brèthes (1925) regarded C. boliviana as a “forme aberrante” of C. areata Mulsant , and proposed the new name C. sicardi . In the present work, Cycloneda sicardi is accepted as the valid name for this taxon, and C. boliviana is recognized as a distinct species, below.

The material treated here under the name C. sicardi is quite variable, and will likely prove to contain 1 or 2 additional undescribed species. Currently we lack males of some of the variants (including those that most closely resemble the lectotype), and the distributional data is fragmentary over much of the range. Supplementary material is needed in order to satisfactorily set species limits.

Summary of data from specimens examined (Map, Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ): ARGENTINA: SALTA: Yacocochuya, Cafayate , 1950 m [m.s.n.m], 16–31.I. 1969 (Willink, Teran), 1 specimen ; Cafayate , 6.III.1951 (K. J. Hayward), 3 specimen ; Cafayate , II.1954 (Hayward), 1 specimen ; Cachi , 22.I. 1960 (AjmatBennasar) 1 specimen ; Cachi , 14.II 1960 (BarreraPaganini), 1 specimen ; Rio las Conchas , 35 km Cafayate, 3.III. 1978 (A. Willink), 1 specimen ; Tacil , 2,400 m [m.s.n.m], 22–27.I 1968 (R. Golbach), 1 specimen ; CATAMARCA: Rincón , 8.II.1968 (A. & E. Willink), 3 specimens ; Camino Andalgala, Cafayate km 74, 2900 m [m.s.n.m] (A. Willink), 2 specimens ; SAN JUAN: San Juan de Cuyo , 1892 (J. Fortucci), 6 specimens ; TUCUMAN: Zapallar , 16.I.1943 (Berry), 1 specimen ; NEUQUEN: San Martin de los Andes , 19.I.1943 (Berry), 1 specimen . BOLIVIA: CHUQUISACA, 1 specimen. ( IML, MNHP, USNM)