Callicaria superba (Mulsant)

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 : 48

Callicaria superba (Mulsant)

( Fig. 29 )

Caria superba Mulsant, 1853a: 159 (Type locality: “les Indes”).

Callicaria superba: Crotch 1874: 170 ; Korschefsky 1932: 271; Poorani 2002a: 322; Ren et al. 2009: 178.

Pseudosynonycha japonica Kurisaki, 1923: 104–105 ; Sasaji 1971: 294.

Diagnosis. Length: 11.00–12.00 mm; width: 9.00– 10.50 mm. Form ( Fig. 29a–c ) subcircular, broadest around base of elytra, narrowed in posterior half, convex. Dorsum dark blood red to orange-red, pronotum with a pair of oblong oval median black spots above basal margin on either side of scutellar shield, scutellar shield black, each elytron with seven black spots arranged in a 1-3-3 pattern ( Fig. 29a, b ) as follows: spot 1 on humeral callus, three spots forming a transverse line before middle, outer one reaching elytral margin, transverse, three spots at about two-thirds, forming a concave band towards apex; occasionally elytral spots coalesce, forming larger maculae ( Fig. 29c ). Ventral side reddish brown, except pro-, meso-and metasterna black, abdomen medially black and elytral epipleura partially black. Male genitalia ( Fig. 29g, h ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 29f ) as illustrated.

Distribution. India: northeastern region (Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, West Bengal); Himalayas; Nepal; Bhutan; China; Tibet; Taiwan; Japan.

Prey/associated habitat. Associated with adelgids ( Adelges spp. ), aphids ( Aiceona litseae Basu & Hille Ris Lambers , Aphis gossypii Glover , Prociphilus fraxini (Fabricius) , Tuberculatus indicus Ghosh )) and psyllids ( Anomoneura mori Schwarz ).

Associated with adelgids infesting silver fir, aphids associated with Litsea polyantha , Alnus nitida , Cedrus deodara , Quercus incana , Quercus serrata , Spiraea lindleyana , and Eupatorium odoratum (label data).

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during May–June, August and November in north and northeastern regions ( Singh & Singh 1985).

Notes. Sasaji (1971) described this genus and species in detail. Kamoi & Imata (1978) studied its life history. In Japan, Kamei (1978) studied its life history on the mulberry psyllid, Anomoneura mori Schwarz.

Figures

FIGURE 29. Callicaria superba (Mulsant): a, b. nominate form; c. variant; d. antenna; e. abdominal postcoxal line; f. spermatheca; g, h. male genitalia: g. tegmen, ventral view; h. penis.