Telsimia rotundata (Motschulsky)

Poorani, J. & Thanigairaj, R., 2023, -- A- - brief- - review- - of- - the- - tribe- - Telsimiini- - (Coleoptera: -- Coccinellidae) -- of- - the- - Indian-subcontinent, -- including- - three- - new- - species- - of- - Telsimia Casey- - from- - South- - India, Zootaxa 5352 (3), pp. 358-380 : 375

Telsimia rotundata (Motschulsky)

(Fig. 11e)

Scymnus rotundatus Motschulsky, 1859: 170 .— Crotch 1874: 255.— Korschefsky 1931: 113.

Pullus rotundulus Motschulsky, 1866: 426 .— Crotch 1874: 257.— Weise 1895: 156; 1900: 440.— Korschefsky 1931: 113.— Iablokoff-Khnzorian 1972: 167.

Telsimia rotundata: Hoàng 1977: 1887 .— Poorani 2002: 316.

It is another fully black species from Sri Lanka (Fig. 11e) with 7-segmented antenna and is likely to be present in India. It was described from a female and Hoàng (1977) transferred it to Telsimia , described and illustrated the female genitalia. He stated that in appearance, as well as in the structure of the antennae and genitalia, Telsimia rotundata was very similar to Telsimia nigra ( Weise, 1879) . The genitalia of one male identified as T. rotundata by R.G. Booth at BMNH could not be studied in detail.

Material examined. “ Ceylon, G. Lewis, 1910-320/ Dikoya , 3800-4200 ft, 21.I.-7.II.82 / genitalia in glass vial / Telsimia rotundata (Mots.) , det. R.G. Booth 2003”, one male and 2 females ( BMNH); “ Ceylon, G. Lewis Coll. 1915-38 / Telsimia sp. , det. R.G. Booth 1986 / Telsimia rotundata (Mots.) , det. R. G. Booth 2003, comp. with LT”, one female ( BMNH) .

Distribution. Sri Lanka; The Philippines; Taiwan.

Notes. There is some confusion regarding the identity of Pullus rotundulus Motschulsky (1866) , regarded as a synonym of T. rotundata ( Iablokoff-Khnzorian 1972; Poorani 2002). Kapur (1948) regarded P. rotundulus as a species of Stethorus and discussed it in his revision of Old World Stethorini . He mentioned the comparative notes given by Weise (1895, 1900) with respect to Stethorus (Pullus) rotundulus (Motschulsky) and S. pauperculus Weise, 1895 . Kapur pointed out that Weise (1900, 1910) regarded P. rotundulus as a synonym of S. rotundatus Motschulsky on the assumption that the latter author probably confused the two names. However, based on Motschulsky’s description of rotundatus, Kapur (1948) regarded these two species as distinct. However, Iablokoff-Khnzorian (1972) appears to have followed Weise (1900, 1910) and mentioned that these two species were synonymous.