Stictobura pallideguttata, Mulsant

Vandenberg, Natalia J., 2011, A revision of the genus Stictobura Crotch and description of a new species of Sticholotis Crotch (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Sticholotidinae), Zootaxa 3031, pp. 1-13 : 4-5

2. pallideguttata (Mulsant)

( Figs. 1 , 19–23 )

Calvia ? pallideguttata Mulsant, 1853: 289 (holotype, UCCC).

Stictobura pallidiguttata: Crotch, 1874: 201 (name misspelt).— Weise, 1923: 137.— Korschefsky, 1931: 211.— Gordon, 1987: 25 (unnecessary lectotype designation).

Sticholotis (Apterolotis) andrewesi Weise, 1908: 225 ; 1923: 127 (Lectotype, BMNH).—Synonymised by Sicard, 1911: 385.- Korschefsky, 1931: 211.

Diagnosis. It can be identified by the dark brown to dull black elytra with eight yellow spots ( Fig. 1 ) and dual punctation. The male genitalia ( Figs. 19–23 ) are diagnostic.

Redescription. Length: 3.78 mm; width: 3.50 mm; TL/EW: 1.03–1.06; EL/EW: 0.93–0.94; PL/PW: 0.42– 0.44. Form ( Fig. 1 ) subcircular, broadest around middle; dorsum strongly convex. Head and pronotum yellowish brown to testaceous, elytra dull to dark brown, with four oblique, elongate oval yellowish spots on each elytron, one pair in anterior half and one in posterior; antenna yellowish to brown, occasionally pedicel and scape lighter, yellowish; legs sometimes darker brown. Ventral side yellowish brown to testaceous except elytral epipleura yellowish brown with darker brown borders or fully dark brown. Head with shallowly impressed punctures, separated by 1–3 diameters, interspaces with reticulate microsculpture; pubescence on head silvery white. Antenna 11-segmented with a long club, terminal antennomere elongate oval. Pronotum with shallowly impressed punctures, more widely spaced than those on head, separated by 2–5 diameters. Elytra slightly wider than long, punctation distinctly dual, with a mixture of fine and somewhat irregular, larger and coarser punctures, widely separated, interspaces weakly alutaceous. Prosternal process broadly quadrate, carinae subparallel, anteriorly slightly divergent. Lateral margins of elytra with a marginal bead. Anterior margin of mesoventrite shallowly, broadly emarginate in middle. Elytral epipleura shallowly impressed on level with hind legs. Tarsal claws basally somewhat swollen, lacking a distinct basal tooth. Posterior margin of ventrite 5 broadly truncate in female, double emarginate in male. Male genitalia ( Figs. 19–23 ) as illustrated, basal lobe slightly longer than parameres in lateral view ( Fig. 19 ), slightly narrower at middle, apically narrowed and produced into a short tubular process; basal lobe in ventral view ( Fig. 20 ) elongate cylindrical and subparallel, apically narrowed, triangular; sipho ( Fig. 21 ) with a large capsule, apex ( Figs. 22, 23 ) somewhat lanceolate.

Specimens examined. Lectotype of Sticholotis andrewesi (designated here): “Type (circular red bordered label)/ Nilgiri Hills , H.L. Andrewes/ Andrewes Bequest B.M.1922-221/Nilgiri Hills/ Sticholotis andrewesi m. (in Weise’s handwriting)/Type (rectangular orange label)/Syntype (blue label)”, abdomen missing ( BMNH); Others: India: Tamil Nadu, Kotagiri, 23.x.1975, C.A. Viraktamath ( NBAII); Coonoor, 22.vi.59, CIBC-BS, Ex. Red scale on mulberry, 1 female, 1 male ( PDBC); Keti, June 1929, M.S.K. Coll., 1 female, 1 male ( NBAII); Keti, 17.IV.29, M.S.K.coll., 1 male; Nilgiris waterfalls , 1–6 May 15, Ponniah coll., 1 male ( NBAII).

Distribution. India: Kerala; Tamil Nadu.

Notes. Mulsant (1853) observed that his type specimen was in poor condition. He felt it belonged in ‘Halyziaires’, but assigned it to the genus Calvia with reservation. He referred clearly to “L’individu”, which is therefore a holotype. The species of Stictobura are much larger than the average size of most sticholotidines, which might have led to some confusion regarding its placement. Crotch (1874) proposed the genus Stictobura , with Calvia pallideguttata Mulsant as the type species—he also misspelled the name of the type species as S. pallidiguttata . Sicard (1911) compared a specimen of Stictobura pallideguttata (labeled by Crotch) with the type specimen of Sticholotis (Apterolotis) andrewesi and pronounced them synonyms. Weise (1923) accepted S. andrewesi and S. pallideguttata Crotch (not Mulsant) as synonyms. He noted differences between Mulsant’s original description and Crotch’s redescription which led him to believe the Crotch material was misidentified. Korschefsky (1931) retained Mulsant’s species under the genus Calvia and Crotch’s species under Stictobura . Gordon (1985) designated one of the three specimens in Crotch’s collection, a “severely damaged” one, as the lectotype, unnecessarily so. The syntype of Sticholotis andrewesi (BMNH, examined), designated as lectotype (above), is similar to the nominate form of the species and matches well to Weise’s original species description (1908). Weise did not discuss variation within the species, nor indicate the number of specimens examined.

Biology / associated habitat. Red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) on mulberry; Coccus viridis (Green) on citrus; collected on tea (label data). Rao et al. (1970) reported it as feeding on tea mites.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 11. Stictobura spp.: 1. Stictobura pallideguttata (Mulsant); 2 – 6. S. semipolita Sicard; 7. S. melanaria (Weise); 8 – 10. Sticholotis gibbula Weise: 8. Dorsal view; 9. Frontal view; 10. Lateral view; 11. Sticholotis buruensis (Korschefsky): Frontal view.

FIGURES 19 – 32. Male genitalia of Stictobura spp.: 19 – 23. S. pallideguttata: 19. Tegmen, lateral view; 20. Tegmen, ventral view; 21. Sipho; 22, 23. Siphonal apex; 24 – 27. Stictobura semipolita: 24. Tegmen, lateral view; 25. Tegmen, ventral view; 26. Sipho; 27. Siphonal apex; 28 – 32. Stictobura melanaria: 28. Tegmen, lateral view; 29. Tegmen, ventral view; 30. Sipho; 31. Siphonal apex; 32. Female genitalia (part): enlarged bursa.