Telsimia ceylonica (Weise)

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 : 373

Telsimia ceylonica (Weise)

(Figs 11a, b, 12)

Platynaspis ceylonica Weise, 1900: 422 .— Korschefsky, 1932: 232.

Telsimia ceylonica: Chapin, 1926: 130 .— Kapur, 1967: 170; 1969: 46.— Poorani 2002: 316.

Diagnosis. Length: 1.50 mm; width: 1.30 mm. Form short oval to subrounded (Figs 11a, b, 12a, b), dorsum strongly convex and densely pubescent. Dorsum fully black, except head (Fig. 12c) with clypeal margin paler, yellowish brown; eyes distinctly metallic green in live specimens, greenish or bluish in preserved specimens. Ventral side black except antennae, mouthparts and legs yellowish brown. Antenna (Fig. 12d) 7-segmented. Maxilla (Fig. 12e) with cardo having a distinctly pronounced lateral expansion. Abdominal postcoxal line (Fig. 12f) incomplete. Male genitalia (Fig. 12g –l) diagnostic, penis guide strongly curved, progressively narrowed to an acuminate apex in lateral view (Fig. 12g, h), elongate and gradually narrowed to a short, tubular apex in inner view (Fig. 12i), trabes distinctly wide and bottle shaped posteriorly, anteriorly narrowed; penis (Fig. 12j) elongate, curved and rod-like, penis apex in dorsal view dumbbell shaped (Fig. 12k, l). Female not examined.

Material examined. India: Ker. Palode, ii.1987 /?pred. on oil palm scale / Sp. ET CIE A19034 / genitalia in glass vial / Telsimia ceylonica (Ws.) , det. R.G. Booth, 1987 ( BMNH); Ceylon, G.E. Bryant, Kandy, VII.1908 / G. Bryant Coll. 1919-147, 3 females, one labelled “ Telsimia ceylonica (Weise) , det. R.G. Booth 1986” ( BMNH); SRI LANKA: Ambewela, 29.VIII.84 / sp. cp-84-c4 Cocos nucifera CIEA 16364 / Pres. by Comm. Inst. Ent. B.M. 1984- 1 / Telsimia ceylonica (Weise) , det. R.B. Madge, 1984 ( BMNH); Karnataka: Bangalore District, five males collected on citrus, arecanut, coconut and Bauhinia sp. , without other data ( ICAR-NRCB).

Distribution. India (Karnataka, Kerala); Sri Lanka.

Prey / Associated habitat. Predator of diaspids infesting oil palm leaves ( Dhileepan 1996); Collected on citrus, arecanut, coconut and Bauhinia sp. (label data).

Notes. It was originally described from Sri Lanka (‘Ceylon’) and Kapur (1969) described it with male genitalia illustrations and recorded it from Karnataka, South India.A single specimen from Kerala, India, and specimens from Sri Lanka in the holdings of BMNH were also examined.