An illustrated guide to lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part 1. Tribe Coccinellini
Author
POORANI, J.
text
Zootaxa
2023
2023-08-18
5332
1
1
307
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5332.1.1
journal article
264199
10.11646/zootaxa.5332.1.1
66e0ec51-d494-43d4-965e-a2cd1462ef54
1175-5326
8261502
424F7439-4095-46A5-93E3-C4130E3B6D9A
Calvia tricolor
Korschefsky
(
Figs 43
,
44
)
Calvia
(
Anisocalvia
)
tricolor
Korschefsky, 1940: 2
(
Syntype
, NHNM; Type locality: Bagdogra range / Kurseong, Bengal
).
Calvia tricolor
: Booth 1997: 925
;
Poorani 2002a: 324
.
Diagnosis.
Length:
5.50–6.50 mm
, width: 5.00–
5.50 mm
. Form (
Fig. 43a–c
) subcircular, strongly convex. Head yellow. Pronotum chestnut brown with yellow lateral sides. Ground colour of elytra dark chestnut brown, each elytron with three large creamy white to yellow spots arranged in a row, lateral margin black, interrupted by three large yellow spots. Ventral side nearly uniformly yellowish brown. Anterior clypeal margin of head (
Fig. 43d
) distinctly concave. Pronotum and elytra with fine punctation, pronotal punctures slightly closer than those on elytra, interspaces between punctures on pronotum and elytra with distinct microsculpture. Prosternal carinae long, reaching much farther than the anterior edge of procoxal cavities (
Fig. 43e
), mesoventrite somewhat tumid, its anterior margin medially deeply emarginate. Abdominal postcoxal line (
Fig. 43f, g
) incomplete with an oblique associated line. Male genitalia (
Fig. 44a–e
) as illustrated. Female genitalia (
Fig. 44f
) with coxites having distinctly elongate, stout and somewhat curved styli (
Fig.
44g
), spermatheca (44h, i) with distinctly developed nodulus and ramus and a c-shaped cornu, infundibulum tubular and distinct.
Distribution.
India
: Northeastern region (
Manipur
,
Meghalaya
,
Sikkim
,
West Bengal
).
Prey/associated habitat.
Collected on
Michelia champaca
and observed to feed on the eggs of
Urostylis punctigera
Westwood
(
Hemiptera
:
Urostylididae
) (
Korschefsky 1940
).
Seasonal occurrence.
Collected during January, April and June–July (label data).
Notes.
It is a rare and distinctive species with a restricted distribution and
Korschefsky (1940)
described it from Darjeeling hills (Kurseong / Kalimpong,
West Bengal
). It does not belong in
Calvia
as observed by Booth (1997). Booth (1997) illustrated the habitus and the male genitalia and commented that it did not properly belong in
Calvia
because it differs from its conspecifics in many ways. The deeply concave anterior margin of clypeus, relatively shorter antennae, incomplete abdominal postcoxal line with an oblique associated line and distinct microsculpture on interspaces between punctures on pronotum and elytra are shared with
Synona
Pope, 1989
. But it lacks the distinct marginal bead and the hypomeral foveae found in
Synona
.
The female genitalia, particularly the coxites with conspicuous, stout and curved styli appear to be unique and the male genitalia with the penis lacking a median swelling and lateral flaps / wings are also atypical of
Calvia
. It is also similar to
Coelophora
. At present, it is not possible to place it in any known genus of
Oriental
Coccinellini
.