Novius octoguttatus (Weise)

Poorani, J., 2023, A review of the tribe Noviini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 5311 (1), pp. 1-47 : 26-28

Novius octoguttatus (Weise)

( Fig. 19 )

Rodolia octoguttata Weise, 1910: 51 .

Novius octoguttatus: Pang et al. 2020: 20 .

Diagnosis. Length: 3.50–5.00 mm; width: 3.20–4.60 mm. Form ( Fig. 19a, e ) elongate oval, dorsum strongly convex and densely pubescent. Ground colour dark reddish brown or rusty reddish brown; pronotum with two black spots on either side of midline above posterior margin, occasionally obsolete or absent; nominate form ( Fig. 19a, e ) with each elytron having four black spots arranged in a 1-1-1-1 pattern, elytral spots often much enlarged; ventral side uniformly rusty red to yellowish brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 19g –i ) as illustrated.

Material examined. N. India, W. Almora, Kumaon, UP , India, H.G.C/G.C. Champion Coll. B.M. 1927-409/ Rodolia octoguttata Weise, Det. R.G. Booth 1991 , 1 ex ( BMNH) ; W. Almora Divn. Kumaon UP, July 1918, HGC/ GC Champion Coll. B.M. 1927-401 ( BMNH); W. Thailand, Kanchanaburi, 400 m, 25–27.iii.1988 / Farmland nr. river Kwai, M.J.D. Brendell, BM 1988-183, 1 ex ( BMNH) .

Distribution. India (Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan); Sri Lanka; Nepal; Myanmar; Thailand; China.

Prey/associated habitat. Icerya spp. Iqbal et al. (2018) recorded it as a predator of Drosicha mangiferae and the host plants were Eriobotrya japonica , Alstonia scholaris , Lagerstroemia indica , Mangifera indica and Dalbergia sissoo .

Seasonal occurrence. April–June and October in Pakistan ( Iqbal et al. 2018).

Notes. Kapur (1951) described it in detail and illustrated only truncated parts of the male and female genitalia. He mentioned that it belonged to the same group as N. fumidus , R. guerini , and R. andamanicus by the general shape of the body, and the characteristic subapical projection of the penis guide. Bielawski (1972) illustrated the habitus and male genitalia of this species. Novius quadrimaculatus v. sexmaculatus ( Mader, 1939) ( Fig. 19 b-d, BMNH) is treated as a synonym of N. octoguttatus in Ren et al. (2009) but listed as a valid species in the world checklist of Novius given by Pang et al. (2020).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Novius octoguttatus (Weise):a.adult, dorsal view (BMNH); e. adult(from Rajasthan, India); f.abdominal postcoxal line; g–i. male genitalia: g. tegmen, lateral view; h. tegmen, inner view; i. penis; b–d. Novius quadrimaculatus (Mader): b. adult, dorsal view; c. adult, lateral view; d. adult, frontal view (BMNH).