Platynaspis flavoguttata (Gorham)

Poorani, J., 2023, - A-review-of-Platynaspini- (Coleoptera: - Coccinellidae) - of-the-Indian-subcontinent including-description-of-a-new-genus-from-north-eastern-India-and-Bangladesh, Zootaxa 5256 (4), pp. 301-328 : 304-306

Platynaspis flavoguttata (Gorham)

( Fig. 2 )

Scymnus flavoguttatus Gorham, 1894: 208 .

Pharus flavoguttata: Weise 1895: 157 .

Platynaspis flavoguttata: Sicard 1913: 501 .— Korschefsky 1932: 232.

Diagnosis. Length: 2.70–3.00 mm. Form ( Fig. 2a–d ) broad oval, moderately convex, densely pubescent with a mixture of yellow and dark brown hairs. Head ( Fig. 2b ) pale creamy yellow with a longitudinal median reddishbrown band or reddish brown with a pair of yellowish lateral spots or fully reddish brown, with a mixture of short, recumbent white hairs and much longer, suberect dark brown to black hairs. Pronotum ( Fig. 2b ) dark reddish brown with three creamy yellow markings on posterior margin, median spot somewhat spindle-shaped, constricted towards both ends, lateral sides occasionally creamy yellow ( Fig. 2d ); pubescence similar to head with a mixture of short, recumbent white hairs and long, suberect dark brown hairs. Each elytron with three spots in a 2–1 arrangement, first two spots positioned in anterior half just before middle, discal one transverse, not touching sutural line, lateral spot circular, touching lateral margin of elytron, posterior spot placed in apical 1/3 before apical margin, not touching lateral margin; pubescence with a mixture of short, yellowish recumbent hairs more or less confined to elytral spots, and a mixture of short, recumbent and much longer, dark brown, suberect hairs on darker areas of elytra. Ventral side reddish castaneous except antennae, mouthparts, and legs lighter yellowish brown, with yellowish white, recumbent pubescence, lateral margins of epipleura with dark brown erect hairs. Abdominal postcoxal line incomplete, apically merged with posterior margin of ventrite 1 ( Fig. 2e ). Male genitalia ( Fig. 2f–h ) as illustrated.

Type­material­examined. Lectotype­(designated­here): “Cotype (Green bordered circular label)/ Belgaum, Bombay/ Andrewes Bequest B.M. 1922-221/ 1348/ Cotype Platynaspis flavoguttata Gorh. (Described as Scymnus )” (BMNH). Others: INDIA: Karnataka: Sagara, Mulllumane, 589 m, 14.33°N 74.79°E, 24.xi.2012, Sweep net, A.N. Reddy (NBAIR: 2F, 1M).

Distribution. India: Karnataka. Sri Lanka. Myanmar.

Prey­/­Associated­habitat. It is possibly myrmecophilous. Gorham (1894) observed that “the specimens were found living in amity with red ants in a hole in a Kindali tree, Terminalia paniculata W. et A.”. Associated with ants on Terminalia sp. (label data).

Notes. This is the only species of the genus known from south India. This was not included in Poorani’s (2002) checklist. Poorani (2014) redescribed it from Karnataka and mentioned about the minor differences between the forms recorded from India and Sri Lanka. In Gorham’s description (1894), two specimens are mentioned and the sole specimen at BMNH (labelled as a ‘cotype’) is hence treated as a syntype and designated as the lectotype here to ensure stability of nomenclature (lectotype­designation).

Figures

FIGURE­2. Platynaspis flavoguttata (Gorham) (non-type material): a. adult, dorsal view; b. adult, lateral view; c. adult, frontal view; d. adult, variant; e. abdominal postcoxal line; f–h. male genitalia: f. tegmen, lateral view; g. tegmen, ventral view; h. penis.