Synona obscura Poorani, Ślipiński & Booth

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 : 269-270

Synona obscura Poorani, Ślipiński & Booth

( Figs 192 , 193a–f )

Synona obscura Poorani, Ślipiński & Booth, 2008: 588 (Holotype female, NBAIR; Type locality: Bangalore).

Synia rougeti auctt.

Synia melanaria ab. rougeti auctt.

Diagnosis. Length: 6.10–7.20 mm; width: 5.50–6.00 mm. Body outline broad, subcircular, not much longer than broad, widest around middle of elytra ( Figs 192a , 193f ). Head and pronotum uniformly bright yellow-orange, elytra black ( Figs 192a , 193f ). Ventral side yellow orange, except elytral epipleura black. Synona obscura can be easily distinguished from S. melanopepla by the following characters: (i) body outline, particularly elytra, broader, nearly as broad as long (larger and slightly more elongate in outline in S. melanopepla ); (ii) eyes smaller, with interocular distance a little more than twice the eye width; (iii) elytra with distinctly broader marginal bead, disc less deeply impressed, interspaces between punctures with shallow, faint microsculpture not clearly visible at low magnifications; (iv) last antennomere transverse with apical margin much less strongly and steeply oblique than that in S. melanopepla ; (v) elytral epipleura distinctly broader, more strongly and steeply descending externally, and (vi) the male ( Fig. 192f–h ) and female genitalia ( Fig. 192d, e ), which are diagnostic.

Immature stages. Eggs orange-yellow ( Fig. 193a ). Larva pink and black ( Fig. 193b, c ), pupa ( Fig. 193d, e ) reddish with black maculae.

Distribution. India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu).

Prey/associated habitat. Hemiptera : Plataspididae : Very effective predator of Coptosoma ostensum Distant ( Subramanyam, 1925; Malhotra & Krishnaswami, 1962). Also feeds on aphids. Commonly collected on Butea monosperma ; on Sesbania grandiflora , sandal, lablab, snakegourd, cabbage, pigeonpea, and Trewia sp.

This species is commonly associated with Coptosoma ostensum Distant and Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) infesting B. monosperma (‘Palas’), lablab, pigeon pea, Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers., etc. Specimens have also been collected on sandal, snakegourd, cabbage, cashew, and Trewia sp. , some in association with aphids and scales (label data). Malhotra and Krishnaswami (1962) and Rachappa et al. (2002) studied its biology in detail (both as S. melanaria ). Some of the earlier records of S. melanaria from South India probably involve this species.

Seasonal occurrence. Collected on Butea monosperma during March–June, September–December (South India). Common on B. monosperma during October–March in Aligarh (north India) (Afroze & Shujauddin, 1998).

Natural enemies. Homalotylus flaminius (Dalman) , Nothoserphus mirabilis Brues ( Poorani et al. 2008) .

Notes. As mentioned under S. melanopepla , published works on the bioecology of ‘ Synia melanaria’ from south India may apply to either Synona obscura or S. melanopepla .

Figures

FIGURE 192. Synona obscura: a. adult, dorsal view; b. abdomen, female; c. abdominal postcoxal line; d. female genitalia; e. spermatheca; f–h. male genitalia: f. tegmen, lateral view; g. tegmen, ventral view; h. penis.

FIGURE 193. a–f. Synona obscura: life stages: a. eggs; b, c. larva; d, e. pupa; f. adult; g–j. Synona melanopepla (Mulsant), live adult.