Coccidula scutellata (Herbst, 1783)

Szawaryn, Karol, Nedved, Oldrich, Biranvand, Amir, Czerwinski, Tomasz & Nattier, Romain, 2021, Revision of the genus Coccidula Kugelann (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae), ZooKeys 1043, pp. 61-85 : 61

Coccidula scutellata (Herbst, 1783) Figs 1H , 9A-G , 10A-I

Chrysomela scutellata Herbst, 1783: 58.

Nitidula quinquepunctata Fabricius, 1787: 52.

Silpha melanophthalma Gmelin, 1790: 1627.

Nitidula bipunctata Gmelin, 1790: 1630

Coccidula scutellata : Kugelann 1798: 421.

Coccidula scutellata var. subrufa Weise, 1879: 131.

Coccidula scutellata var. arquata Weise, 1879: 131.

Coccidula scutellata var. aethiops Krauss, 1902: 92.

Material examined.

Armenia, Erevan, 9.06.1987, leg. V. Karasjov (5: AJC); Czech Rep., Praha-Kyje, 21.1.1945, lgt. Günnther, (1: NMP); Plzeň, 20.7.1978, lgt. V. Mach, (2: USB); Kokořínský důl, 28.8.1994, lgt. J. Řehounek (1: USB); Loučeň, 17.8.1994, lgt. J. Řehounek (1: USB) ; France, St. Cucufa, VI 65, MD, Ch. ' Duverger det., J.P. Coutanceau det. 2004' (1: MNHN) ; Poland, Kampinos Forest near Warsaw , 17.06.2020, leg. D. Marczak (11: MIZ) ; Slovakia, Bratislava , 27.4.36, lgt. O. Kavan (1: NMP) ; Ukraine, Kharkiv region, Kharkiv district, Bobrovka vill., reserve "Aleshkina balka", 2017-04-28, lgt. A. Slutsky (1: ASC). Type material not studied, deposited in Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin , Germany.

Diagnosis.

Coccidula scutellata is the most variable species in body coloration. Typical forms with five black maculae on the elytra can be easily distinguished from other Coccidula species, however uniformly colored testaceous forms are externally similar to C. rufa . They can be easily distinguished by the shape of carinae on prosternal process, which are straight and form a sub-triangular pattern in C. rufa , and are sinuate and broadly rounded apically, and fused with anterior border of prosternum in C. scutellata . Moreover, C. scutellata has a more distinct shoulder tubercle, and relatively narrower protnotum. Also, the male genitalia are distinctive, with penis guide longer than parameres in C. rufa and much shorter in C. scutellata . Spermatheca, in female genitalia, is broadened apically in C. scutellata , while in C. rufa it is almost uniform in diameter.

Description.

Length = 2.8-4.2 mm, BL/BW = 1.85-2.05, EL/BW = 1.36-1.46, PW/BW = 0.70-0.75.

Body elongate, slightly widening in posterior part. Elytra of typical (European) form testaceous with five black maculae (Fig. 1H ), one large covering scutellar shield and surrounding portion of elytra, and four sub-oval maculae in the median part, two of which are placed close to elytral suture and remaining two, close to lateral margin. Sometimes macula surrounding scutellar shield extends along elytral suture, sometimes maculae placed in median part of elytra are fused, forming single band. Various forms with reductions of this pattern are also present to completely testaceous forms without any trace of black color. Ventral side testaceous with prosternal process, mesoventrite, metaventrite, most of ventrite 1 (except lateral corners), and central part of ventrite 2 black.

Head and pronotum covered with uniform small setiferous punctures arranged irregularly. Pronotum transverse, broadly rounded laterally, with broad, glabrous lateral margin (Fig. 9B ); pronotum covered with dense setiferous punctures, with single row of larger punctures along lateral border. Posterior pronotal corners not produced. Prosternum with anterior margin with bordering line complete. Prosternal process with complete lateral carinae in form of sinuate line, joined roundly and merged with anterior border of pronotum (Fig. 9E ).

Scutellar shield pentagonal, covered with dense setiferous punctures. Elytra covered with two types of punctures, small setiferous punctures irregularly distributed throughout elytral surface, some of these punctures surrounded by larger depressed circles forming nine irregular longitudinal rows along whole length of elytra. Shoulder tubercles distinct, lateral elytral margin of elytra not visible from above in anterior part (Fig. 9A ). Mesoventrite with anterior border interrupted in median part. Metaventrite with postcoxal lines transverse in median part and then descending laterally, not fused on metaventral process in median part (Fig. 9D ). Covered with setiferous punctures very sparsely distributed in central part of sclerite, densely setose in lateral parts, with single row of large punctures below postcoxal lines and above metacoxae.

Abdominal postcoxal lines complete, rounded, reaching slightly more than half of length of ventrite 1 measured below metacoxa. Ventrites covered with dense setiferous punctures.

Male genitalia. Tegmen in inner view (Fig. 10A ) with penis guide subtriangular with pointed apex; short, about two times shorter than parameres. Parameres elongate elliptical (Fig. 10B ), inner surface smooth, with long setae on inner surface and in apical margin. Penis simple with pointed apex (Fig. 10C ).

Female genitalia. Sperm duct short, about as long as half of length of spermatheca (Fig. 10E ). Spermatheca vermiform, distinctly broadened apically. Accessory gland membranous, longer than sperm duct.

Type locality.

Pomerania (Germany, Poland)

Distribution.

Europe (all countries), Africa: Morocco, Asia: Kazakhstan, Russia (West Siberia).

Figures

Figure 1. Immature stages and habitus of adult species of Coccidula Kugelann A C. rufa larva B C. rufa pupa C C. lepida, dorsal D C. lepida, ventral E C. litophiloides F C. reitteri G C. rufa H C. scutellata A, B Gilles San Martin, Wikimedia Commons C, D Danny Haelewaters G, H Udo Schmidt. Scale bars: 1 mm (C-H).

Figure 9. Coccidula scutellata (Reitter) SEM illustrations A body, dorsal B pronotum C head, ventral D mesoventrite, metaventrite and ventrite 1 E prosternum F ventrites 4 - 6, male G pro-tarsal claw. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 500 µm (B, D, E); 400 µm (C, F); 100 µm (G).

Figure 10. Coccidula scutellata (Reitter) A tegmen, inner B tegmen, lateral C penis, lateral D male genital segment, dorsal E spermatheca F female genitalia G left and right mandibles H maxilla I metendosternite. Scale bars: 500 µm (A-F); 200 µm (G-I).