Chilocorus subindicus Booth

POORANI, J., 2023, An illustrated guide to the lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part II. Tribe Chilocorini, Zootaxa 5378 (1), pp. 1-108 : 64-65

Chilocorus subindicus Booth

( Fig. 48 )

Chilocorus subindicus Booth, 1998: 365 .— Poorani 2002: 312; Li et al. 2018: 28.

Diagnosis. Length: 2.70–3.80 mm; width: 2.40–3.40 mm. It is a sibling species of C. nigrita , which cannot be reliably differentiated by any external morphological characters. Form subcircular, more or less identical to C. nigrita in external appearance and coloration ( Fig. 48a–c ), but appears to be slightly smaller in size and more convex, with the sides more steeply descending than C. nigrita . Abdominal postcoxal lines incomplete ( Fig. 48d, e ). Male genitalia ( Fig. 48h–k ) diagnostic, especially apex of median lobe broadly rounded in ventral view (pointed in C. nigrita ) ( Fig. 48i, j ) and turned slightly inwards in lateral view ( Fig. 48h ) (turned outwards in C. nigrita ), and the parameres without a pronounced angulation found in C. nigrita . Female genitalia ( Fig. 48f ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 48g ) as illustrated.

Distribution. India: Southern parts of mainland India and the islands just to the south ( Booth 1998) ( Lakshadweep Islands [Kadmat, Kavaratti, and Minicoy]; Maharashtra; Tamil Nadu); Sri Lanka; Maldives.

Prey/associated habitat. Hemiptera : Coccoidea: Aspidiotus destructor Signoret , Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner) , and? Saissetia sp. Collected in association with scales infesting coconut, brinjal, bamboo, banana, and Morinda tinctoria ; mealybugs (based on label data; Booth 1998).

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during March-May ( Lakshadweep Islands) (label data).

Notes. Though this species is very similar to C. nigrita and coexists with the latter in part of its distribution range (particularly in coastal Kerala, Lakshadweep and Andaman Islands), it does not appear to have been used successfully in any deliberate biological control introductions ( Booth 1998). These two species can be reliably separated only by the male genitalia. Booth (1998) provided a detailed description with male genitalia illustrations. Collections from Lakshadweep and Andaman islands invariably consist of both species with a fairly large proportion of C. subindicus and may be misidentified as C. nigrita .

Figures

FIGURE 48. Chilocorus subindicus Booth: a. adult, dorsal view; b. adult, lateral view; c. adult, frontal view; d. abdomen; e. abdominal postcoxal line; f. female genitalia; g. spermatheca; h–k. male genitalia: h. tegmen, lateral view; i, j. tegmen, ventral view; k. penis.