Ghanius karachiensis Ahmad, 1973

Poorani, J. & Thanigairaj, R., 2021, Indian species of Shirozuellini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), including a new species of Sasajiella Miyatake from Tamil Nadu, Zootaxa 5005 (2), pp. 189-200 : 194-196

Ghanius karachiensis Ahmad

( Figs. 4 , 5 )

Ghanius karachiensis Ahmad, 1973: 449 (Holotype ♂; USNM)- Poorani, 2002: 68.- Kovář, 2007: 569.

Diagnosis: Length: 0.80–0.95 mm, width: 0.60–0.80 mm. Form ( Fig. 4a, b ) elongate oval, dorsum moderately convex, dorsal pubescence consisting of mainly short, adpressed hairs. Dorsal and ventral sides uniformly dark brown to piceous, legs lighter brown. Head ( Fig. 4c ) with clypeal margin laterally expanded over eyes. Head with large, more broadly separated eyes than in S. boothi sp. n. Antenna ( Fig. 4c ) with 9 antennomeres. Maxillary palpi ( Fig. 4c ) with terminal palpomere elongate, its apical margin obliquely truncate. Prosternal process broad, area above anterior margin strongly excavated. Abdominal postcoxal lines ( Fig. 4d ) incomplete with an associated line, area bound by postcoxal lines with reticulate sculpture. Elytra densely and evenly punctate. Male genitalia ( Figs. 4e, f ) as illustrated, penis guide ( Fig. 4e ) longer than parameres, lanceolate with a short, triangular apical projection; parameres with few short apical setae; penis ( Fig. 4f ) rod-like and basally clubbed, lacking a well differentiated capsule.

Material examined: 2 paratypes : “ Paratype (yellow bordered circular label) / Karachi, 4.xi.68 / CIBC S. 4.11.68 / Feeding on Cerococcus hibisci on Hibiscus rosa-sinensis / Paratype / Ghanius karachiensis Ahmad and Ghani / CIE Coll. A5525/ Pres. by Comm. Inst. Ent. B.M. 1972-2” ( BMNH); Other material: “Mysore India, 29.9.1961 / Feeding on Anomalococcus on Acacia / CIBC-IS / CIE Coll. no. 1787 / Pres. by Comm. Inst. Ent. B.M. 1961-5/ Telsimia sp., R.D. Pope det. 1961” ( BMNH: 1); INDIA: Godapiasal, W. Bengal, 18.III.85 / Pres. by Comm. Inst. Ent. B. M. 1985-1/ Assoc. with Shorea robusta, CIEA 17293/? Ghanius karachiensis, R. G. Booth det. 1985” ( BMNH: 1); many other specimens ( NBAIR) .

Immature stages: The life stages of G. karachiensis collected in association with its common host, Cerococcus spp. on hibiscus are illustrated ( Fig. 5 ). The egg ( Fig. 5e ) is elongate oval and translucent white. The larva ( Fig. 5a–d ) is dull greyish with distinct, large, sclerotized plates on prothorax and smaller lateral plates on meso- and metathorax, and a large median sclerotized patch on the apical abdominal tergite. The dorsal surface has short, fanshaped setae and lateral margins of all segments bear longer, blunt-tipped setae. The pupa is as illustrated ( Fig. 5e, f ).

Distribution: India: Karnataka; Tamil Nadu; West Bengal. Pakistan. This species probably has a wider distribution in India, but specimens and records are scarce apparently due to poor recognition owing to its small size.

Notes: Among the Indian species of Shirozuellini , Ghanius has more widely separated eyes and the frons is parallel-sided. The form of the abdominal postcoxal lines and male genitalia are also characteristic.

Hosts / associated habitat: We collected G. karachiensis along with S. boothi sp. n. on guava and Indian gooseberry more than once. It is predatory on the eggs and nymphs of Cerococcus indicus (Maskell) (= Cerococcus hibisci Green ) on Hibiscus rosasinensis and H. syriacus in Pakistan ( Ahmad, 1973) and in India also, it is collected commonly on hibiscus in association with Cerococcus spp. (label data; personal observations). Predatory on various diaspine scales including Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) , A. citrina (Coquillett) , A. orientalis (Newstead) , Hemiberlesia lataniae (Signoret) , Leucaspis coniferarum Hall & Williams , Parlatoria spp. , Pinnaspis strachani (Cooley) , Comstockaspis perniciosa (Comstock) (= Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock)) , and Tecaspis spp. in Pakistan ( Ali et al. 2018). Feeding on Anomalococcus sp. on acacia (label data). Associated with Shorea robusta (label data). Collected on Indian gooseberry and guava (label data).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Ghanius karachiensis Ahmad: a, b. habitus, dorsal; c. head; d. abdominal postcoxal lines; e, f. male genitalia: e. tegmen, inner view; f. penis.

FIGURE 5. Life stages of Ghanius karachiensis: a–d. Larva feeding on Cerococcus sp.; e. pupa, dorsal view (with a single egg laid on the surface); f. pupa, ventral view; g. adult.