Oenopia guerini (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 : 211

Oenopia guerini (Mulsant)

( Fig. 149 )

Alesia guerini Mulsant, 1850: 345 ; 1866: 233 ( Holotype, UCCC; Type locality: India ).—Crotch 1874: 174; Korschefsky 1932: 305.—Synonymized by Poorani et al. 2023: 469.

Micraspis guerini: Gordon 1987: 21 (lectotype designation).

Coelophora walteri Sicard, 1913: 503 (Holotype, MNHN; Type locality: India).— Korschefsky 1932: 298.—Synonymized by Poorani et al. 2023: 469.

Oenopia walteri: Iablokoff-Khnzorian 1979: 70 .— Poorani 2002a: 338; Poorani 2002b: 101.

Diagnosis. Length: 3.25–3.75 mm; width: 3.00– 3.25 mm. Form ( Fig. 149a–c ) broadly rounded to slightly oval, dorsum strongly convex and glabrous. Head yellow in male, with a median longitudinal black band in female. Pronotum yellow, with a black band along posterior margin and a pair of median spots, sometimes fused with basal band. Elytra yellow, with an anchor-shaped, black marking in posterior half forming four cells, anterior pair large and transverse, posterior pair smaller, obliquely oval; external margins of elytra black. Ventral side black, except anterior half of prothoracic hypomeron and inner half of elytral epipleura yellowish, tibial apices and tarsi yellowish brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 149g, h ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 149f ) as illustrated.

Distribution. India: Himachal Pradesh; Kerala; Tamil Nadu (Nilgiri Hills; Pulney hills).

Prey/associated habitat. Collected on apple (label data).

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during March and October (label data).

Note. The distribution of O. guerini in India is discontinuous and it has been recorded from Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh (label data). It appears to be a rare species.

Figures

FIGURE 149. Oenopia guerini (Mulsant): a, b. live adult; c. adult, dorsal view; d. adult, lateral view; e. adult, frontal view; f. spermatheca; g, h. male genitalia: g. tegmen, ventral view; h. penis.