Brachiacantha Dejean, 1835

Gordon, Robert D., Canepari, Claudio & Hanley, Guy A., 2014, South American Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Part XVI: systematic revision of Brachiacantha Dejean (Coccinellinae: Hyperaspidini), Insecta Mundi 2014 (390), pp. 1-76 : 3-4

Brachiacantha Dejean

Brachiacantha Dejean, 1837: 458 ; Belicek 1976: 317; Gordon 1985: 556; Milléo and Almeida 2007: 419.

Brachyacantha: Chevrolat 1842: 704 (unjustified emendation); Mulsant 1850: 520; Crotch 1874: 377; Chapuis 1876: 228; Korschefsky 1931: 202; Blackwelder 1945: 448. Type species; Coccinella dentipes F., by subsequent designation of Crotch (1874).

Cleothera (Cyra) Mulsant, 1850: 544 .

Cyra: Crotch 1874: 213 (as synonym of Hyperaspis ); Korschefsky 1931: 177; Chapin 1966: 279, 280 (as valid genus); Duverger 1989: 146; Milléo et al. 1997: 391; Duverger 2001: 226; Duverger 2003: 67; Milléo and Almeida 2007: 421; Gordon et al. 2013 (as a synonym of Brachiacantha Dejean ). Type species; Cyra loricata Mulsant 1850 , by subsequent designation of Duverger (2001).

Description. Brachiacanthini with form slightly variable, usually elongate or oval. Elytra usually dark with pale maculae, or pale with dark maculae ( Fig. 1, 7 , 139 ). Head usually yellow in male but usually entirely or partially brown or black in female. Antenna with 11 articles, basal article longer than wide, antennal insertion exposed. Clypeus with apical margin truncate to weakly or deeply emarginate. Labrum rectangular. Apical maxillary palpomere securiform with sides slightly diverging. Scutellum large, wider than long. Elytral epipleuron narrow or wide, deeply excavated for reception of tibiae. Prosternal process slightly convex, nearly always with two carinae joined apically or not. Protibia with narrow flange, flange occasionally as wide as remainder of protibia ( Fig. 37 , 70 , 96 , 121 ). Abdomen without visible primary pores between ventrites 4 and 5. Tarsal claw with subquadrate basal tooth. Male abdominal ventrites 5–6 modified, sometimes with ventrites 3–6 medially depressed, or with cusps on 3rd or 5th ventrite. Female abdominal ventrites unmodified, ventrite 5 truncate or feebly emarginate apically, ventrite 6 apically arcuate. Male genitalia with basal lobe symmetrical ( Fig. 8, 14 ), except those of B. bistripustulata asymmetrical ( Fig. 2 ).

Remarks. Species with a protibial tooth are quickly recognized as members of Brachiacantha , those with reduced or without a protibial tooth are more difficult to recognize. One species, B. darlene , lacks the protibial tooth but is considered a member of Brachiacantha because the male 5th abdominal ventrite has distinct cusps. Because primary pores are absent in both Brachiacantha and Cyrea , species of Brachiacantha with reduced or absent protibial teeth are most likely to be considered species of Cyrea . A total of 49 species are recognized as members of Brachiacantha , 29 of them newly described.

In addition to generic characters described above, species of this genus have other characters not unique to Brachiacantha , but useful in aiding recognition. These are: 1) male head often black; 2) head and pronotum usually alutaceous, dull, especially the head; 3) prosternal carinae often not joined at apices, or if so then usually not connected to the prosternal base by a single carina; 4) punctures on apical 1/4 of metasternum usually evenly sized and spaced throughout, not larger and denser toward lateral margin; 5) and male genitalia nearly always with paramere Psc.

Brachiacantha bistripustulata differs from all other South American species by the strongly asymmetrical male genitalia and presence of median cusps on the 3rd abdominal ventrite. Brachiacantha dentipes (F.), the North American type species of the genus, as well as numerous other North American species, have extremely similar, asymmetrical genitalia. Brachiacantha should perhaps be restricted to this group with all other species having asymmetrical male genitalia placed in a new genus.

Species groups are recognized based primarily on male genitalia. Those groups are defined as follows:

bistripustulata group - this species contains B. bistripustulata , the only South American species of this genus having an asymmetrical basal lobe of the male genitalia ( Fig. 1 ).

buckleyi group - male genitalia have a long, slender, apically truncate basal lobe; paramere longer than basal lobe, very wide at base, narrowed to rounded apex ( Fig. 8, 9 ).

sellata group - male genitalia with basal lobe apically lunulate ( Fig. 19 ); paramere highly modified, usually dorsally flattened ( Fig. 19 ).

juanita group - male genitalia with basal lobe short, evenly, ovately narrowed from base to apex, apex narrowly rounded, sometimes acute ( Fig. 57 ); sipho with inner arm of basal capsule apically bifid ( Fig. 66 ). Female genitalia with spermatheca long, slender, basal 1/4 widened, cornu bulbous or narrowed to acute apex ( Fig. 62 ).

jill group - male genitalia with basal lobe long, very slender, sides slightly convergent from base to rounded apex ( Fig. 141 ).

blandula group - male genitalia with basal lobe narrowed from base to about apical 1/3, apical 1/3 narrowed to broadly rounded apex ( Fig. 147 ).

groendali group - male genitalia with basal lobe long, slender, longer than paramere, penis shaped ( Fig. 163 ).

debbie group - male genitalia with basal lobe long, slender, as long or longer than paramere, with truncate apex ( Fig. 176 ).

leslie group - male genitalia with basal lobe long, longer than paramere, slender, narrowed from base to apical 2/3, then widened into slightly triangular apical 1/3 ( Fig. 200 ); paramere abruptly narrowed in apical 1/5, upper 1/3 of paramere darker, more heavily sclerotized than lower 2/3.

trimaculata group - male genitalia with basal lobe longer than paramere, sides parallel in basal 1/2, widened in apical 1/2, sides rounded to acute apex ( Fig. 206 ).

tucumanensis group - male genitalia with basal lobe about as long as paramere, slightly “pinched” laterally at basal 1/3, widened in apical 1/2, sides rounded to acute apex ( Fig. 220 ).

bahiensis group - male genitalia with basal lobe apically triangular, dorsal surface with large, arcuate dorsal keel ( Fig. 231 ), or with dorsal keel on each side of middle.

Figures

Figures 1–17. 1–6. Brachiacantha bistripustulata. 1) Habitus. 2) Phallobase ventral. 3) Phallobase lateral. 4) Sipho. 5) Enlarged siphonal apex. 6) Female genitalia. 7–12. Brachiacantha buckleyi. 7) Habitus. 8) Phallobase ventral. 9) Phallobase lateral. 10) Sipho. 11) Enlarged siphonal apex. 12) Female spermathecal capsule. 13–17. Brachiacantha charlotte. 13) Habitus. 14) Phallobase ventral. 15) Phallobase lateral. 16) Sipho. 17) Enlarged siphonal apex.

Figures 139–156. 139–145. Brachiacantha jill. 139) Habitus. 140) Protibia. 141) Phallobase ventral. 142) Phallobase lateral. 143) Sipho. 144) Enlarged siphonal apex. 145). Female genitalia. 146–150. Brachiacantha blandula. 146) Habitus. 147) Phallobase ventral. 148) Phallobase lateral. 149) Sipho. 150) Female genitalia. 151–156. Brachiacantha april. 151) Habitus. 152) Phallobase ventral. 153) Phallobase lateral. 154) Sipho. 155) Enlarged siphonal apex. 156) Female genitalia.

Figures 36–50. 36–40. Brachiacantha pauline. 36) Habitus. 37) Phallobase ventral. 38) Phallobase lateral. 39) Sipho. 40) Enlarged siphonal apex.41–45. Brachiacantha emma. 41) Habitus. 42) Phallobase ventral. 43) Phallobase lateral. 44) Sipho (basal 2/3). 45) Female spermathecal capsule and bursal cap. 46–50. Brachiacantha jamie. 46) Habitus. 47) Phallobase ventral. 48) Phallobase lateral. 49) Sipho. 50) Enlarged siphonal apex.

Figures 69–87. 69–74. Brachiacantha hazel. 69) Habitus. 70) Protibia. 71) Phallobase ventral. 72) Phallobase lateral. 73) Sipho. 74) Enlarged siphonal apex. 75–80. Brachiacantha armandi. 75) Habitus. 76) Phallobase ventral. 77) Phallobase lateral. 78) Sipho. 79) Enlarged siphonal apex. 80) Female genitalia. 81–87. Brachiacantha margaritae. 81) Habitus. 82) Phallobase ventral. 83) Phallobase lateral. 84) Sipho. 85) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 86) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 87) Female genitalia.

Figures 88–107. 88–94. Brachiacantha octopustulata. 88) Habitus. 89) Phallobase ventral. 80) Phallobase lateral. 91) Sipho. 92) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 93) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 94) Female genitalia. 95–102. Brachiacantha loricata. 95) Habitus. 96) Phallobase ventral. 97) Phallobase lateral. 98) Sipho. 99) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 100) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 101) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 102) Female genitalia. 103–107. Brachiacantha lynn. 103) Habitus. 104) Phallobase ventral. 104) Phallobase lateral. 106) Sipho. 107) Enlarged siphonal apex.

Figures 108–127. 108–113. Brachiacantha sally. 108) Habitus. 109) Phallobase ventral. 110) Phallobase lateral. 111) Sipho. 112) Siphonal apex. 113) Enlarged siphonal apex. 114–119. Brachiacantha regina. 114) Habitus. 115) Phallobase ventral. 116) Phallobase lateral. 117) Sipho. 118) Siphonal apex dorsal. 119) Enlarged siphonal apex. 120–127. Brachiacantha darlene. 120) Habitus. 121) Protibia. 122) Phallobase ventral. 123) Phallobase lateral. 124) Sipho. 125) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 126) Siphonal apex dorsal. 127) Female spermathecal capsule and bursal cap.

Figures 18–35. 18–23. Brachiacantha sellata. 18) Habitus. 19) Phallobase ventral. 20) Phallobase lateral. 21) Sipho. 22) Enlarged siphonal apex. 23) Female genitalia. 24–30. Brachiacantha bruchi. 24) Habitus. 25) Phallobase ventral. 26) Phallobase lateral. 27) Sipho. 28) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 29) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 30) Female genitalia. 31–35. Brachiacantha esther. 31) Habitus. 32) Phallobase ventral. 33) Phallobase lateral. 34) Sipho. 35) Enlarged siphonal apex.

Figures 51–68. 51–55. Brachiacantha joanne. 51) Habitus.52) Phallobase ventral.53) Phallobase lateral. 54) Sipho. 55) Enlarged siphonal apex. 56–62. Brachiacantha juanita. 56) Habitus. 57) Phallobase ventral. 58) Phallobase lateral. 59) Sipho. 60) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 61) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 62) Female genitalia. 63–68. Brachiacantha anita. 63) Habitus. 64) Phallobase ventral. 65) Phallobase lateral. 66) Sipho. 67) Enlarged siphonal apex. 68) Female genitalia.

Figures 157–174. 157–160. Brachiacantha clara. 157) Habitus. 158) Phallobase ventral. 159) Phallobase lateral. 160) Sipho. 161–167. Brachiacantha groendali. 161) Habitus. 162) Phallobase lateral. 163) Phallobase ventral. 164) Sipho. 165) Siphonal apex dorsal. 166) Enlarged siphonal apex obliquely lateral. 167) Female genitalia. 168–174. Brachiacantha eva. 168) Habitus. 169) Protibia. 170) Phallobase ventral. 171) Phallobase lateral. 172) Sipho. 173) Enlarged siphonal apex. 174) Female genitalia.

Figures 175–191. 175–180. Brachiacantha debbie. 175) Habitus. 176) Phallobase ventral. 177) Phallobase lateral. 178) Sipho. 179) Enlarged siphonal apex. 180) Female genitalia. 181–186. Brachiacantha monica. 181) Habitus. 182) Phallobase ventral. 183) Phallobase lateral. 184) Sipho. 185) Enlarged siphonal apex. 186) Female genitalia. 187–191. Brachiacantha parva. 187) Habitus. 188) Phallobase ventral. 189) Phallobase lateral. 180) Sipho. 191) Enlarged siphonal apex.

Figures 192–210. 192–198. Brachiacantha amber. 192) Habitus. 193) Protibia. 194) Phallobase ventral. 195) Phallobase lateral. 196) Sipho. 197) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 198) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 199–204. Brachiacantha leslie. 199) Habitus. 200) Phallobase ventral. 201) Phallobase lateral. 202) Sipho. 203) Enlarged siphonal apex. 204) Female genitalia. 205–210. Brachiacantha trimaculata. 205) Habitus. 206) Phallobase ventral. 207) Phallobase lateral. 208) Sipho. 209) Enlarged siphonal apex. 210) Enlarged siphonal apex.

Figures 211–229. 211–217. Brachiacantha eleanor. 211) Habitus. 212) Protibia. 213) Phallobase ventral. 214) Phallobase lateral. 215) Sipho. 216) Enlarged siphonal apex. 217) Female genitalia. 218–224. Brachiacantha tucumanensis. 218) Habitus. 219) Protibia. 220) Phallobase ventral. 221) Phallobase lateral. 222) Sipho. 223) Enlarged siphonal apex. 224) Female spermathecal capsule and bursal cap. 225–229. Brachiacantha valerie. 225) Habitus. 226) Phallobase ventral. 227) Phallobase lateral. 228) Sipho. 229) Enlarged siphonal apex.

Figures 230–246. 230–236. Brachiacantha bahiensis. 230) Habitus. 231) Phallobase ventral. 232) Phallobase lateral. 233) Sipho. 234) Enlarged siphonal apex lateral. 235) Enlarged siphonal apex dorsal. 236) Female genitalia. 237–240. Brachiacantha pseudoarrowi. 237) Habitus. 238) Phallobase ventral. 239) Phallobase lateral. 240) Sipho. 241–246. Brachiacantha danielle. 241) Habitus. 242) Phallobase ventral. 243) Phallobase lateral. 244) Sipho. 245) Enlarged siphonal apex. 246) Female genitalia.