Micraspis pusillus Poorani

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 : 185

Micraspis pusillus Poorani

( Fig. 131 )

Micraspis pusillus Poorani, 2014: 2 (Holotype male, NBAIR; Type locality: Sikkim).

Diagnosis. Length: 3.00– 3.30 mm; width: 2.68–2.90 mm. Form ( Fig. 131a, b ), short oval to almost circular, only slightly longer than wide, dorsum convex and glabrous except head with yellowish white pubescence, more pronounced near clypeal margin. In live specimens, whole of head including ocular canthus distinctly creamy white ( Fig. 131c ); antenna pale yellow; anterolateral corners of pronotum slightly whitish, pronotum and elytra yellow with transparent lateral borders. Ventral side yellow except hypomeron, mespimeron, mespisternum and metanepisternum with traces of white. Eyes moderately large with a conspicuous, large ocular canthus ( Fig. 131c ); inner ocular margins divergent towards posterior ( Fig. 131d ). Abdominal postcoxal line ( Fig. 131e ) incomplete. Male genitalia ( Fig. 131g –j ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 131f ) as illustrated.

Distribution. India: Northeastern region (Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim).

Prey/associated habitat. The host plants on which the specimens were collected include Musa paradisiaca , bamboo, and ridge gourd [ Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.] (Poorani, 2014).

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during March, June, September–October (label data).

Notes. This is probably the smallest Indian species of Micraspis and somewhat anomalous in having the head with a broad, short, whitish eye canthus. See Poorani (2014) for detailed description.

Figures

FIGURE 131. Micraspis pusillus Poorani: a. adult, dorsal view; b. adult, lateral view; c. adult, frontal view; d. head; e. abdominal postcoxal line; f. spermatheca; g–j. male genitalia: g. tegmen, lateral view; h. tegmen, ventral view; i. penis; j. penis apex.