Halyzia straminea (Hope)

Poorani, J. & Booth, R. G., 2006, A new sibling species of Halyzia straminea (Hope) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Halyziini) from the Indian subcontinent, Zootaxa 1354, pp. 63-68 : 63-66

1. Halyzia straminea (Hope) ( Plate 1A , Figs. 1–9 )

Coccinella straminea Hope , in Gray, 1831: 31 (Type locality: Nepal; lectotype Ψ; BMNH).— Booth & Pope, 1989: 365 (lectotype designation).

Halyzia straminea: Mulsant, 1850: 165 ; 1866: 125.- Korschefsky, 1932: 573.— Kapur, 1963: 46.

Description: Length: 6.84–7.56 mm, width: 5.88–6.24 mm. Form elongate oval, dorsum glabrous except for head. Ground colour of head, pronotum and elytra bright luteous to lemon yellow. Pronotum with a pair of dull brown to reddish brown, elongate, more or less crescent shaped spots on posterior margin, one on either side of scutellum. Each elytron with four spots arranged in a 1-2-1 pattern ( Plate 1A ) (one below anterior margin of elytra, one lateral and one near elytral suture around middle, and one posterior spot), outermost spot in second row and posterior spot longer than broad, other spots broadly oval to subcircular; elytral suture with a dull brown to reddish brown longitudinal stripe with a scalloped edge. Lateral sides of pronotum and elytra narrowly explanate and transparent.

Head with large and prominent eyes, inner margins of eyes anteriorly strongly divergent. Antenna ( Fig. 1 ) long, with loosely joined segments, terminal segment elongate oval. Pronotum with shallowly impressed punctures, separated by 2–4 diameters, interspaces strongly microreticulate. Elytral punctures more deeply impressed than those on pronotum, interspaces between punctures with reticulate microsculpture. Prosternal carinae reaching up to or slightly beyond middle of prosternum, divergent in posterior half. Postcoxal plate ( Fig. 2 ) on first abdominal ventrite incomplete and short, not reaching lateral margin. Posterior margin of ventrite V and VI with a very broad and shallow, semicircular median projection and shallowly emarginate, respectively, in female ( Fig. 3 ); subtruncate and deeply and semicircularly emarginate, respectively, in male ( Fig. 4 ). Female spermatheca ( Fig. 5 ) as illustrated. Male genitalia ( Figs. 6–9 ) as illustrated, basal lobe of tegmen apically bifid in dorsal view ( Fig. 7 ), sipho with a pair of membranous flaps near midlength ( Figs. 8–9 ).

Distribution: India: Northern and eastern regions (Himachal Pradesh; Meghalaya; Sikkim; West Bengal). Nepal. Bhutan. China. Taiwan.

Specimens examined: Nepal [no other data] (lectotype and 2 paralectotypes) (BMNH, OUM); Nepal: 6800’, Kathmandu Dist., Kakani, 1–2.vi.1983 / At light/ Halyzia straminea (Hope) det. R.G. Booth 2006, compared with type (BMNH); India: Gopaldhara, Darjeeling, 4720–6100 ft, H. Stevens, 24.v.14 / H. Stevens Coll. B.M. 1961-465/ Halyzia straminea (Hope) det. R.G. Booth 2006, compared with type (BMNH); Assam, Nagas, Doherty [collector]/ Fry Coll. B.M. 1905-100 (BMNH); Sikkim: Singhit 5,000 ft 24.iv.1924, Maj. R.W.G. Hingston/ Everest Exp. Brit. Mus. 1924-386 (BMNH); India: Payung Busty, 850m, 25–27.v.86 / Indien, Darjeeling D., B. Bhakta, 1 ex.; Ging Lebong, 4500 ft., vi.09, F.M.H. / Pelina gustavi Muls., Arrow det. 1927; Nepal: Arunthan 1300- Chichila 1950m, 29.v.1983 / E. Nepal, Arun, V., M. Brancucci, 1 ex.; Godavari 1500–1700 m, 21.5 / Nepal, 1977, Wittmer, Brancucci, 2 ex.; Basantapur, 2300 m, 30.v.–2.vi.85 / E. Nepal, Koshi, M. Brancucci.

Associated habitat: Associated with mildews infecting Juglans regia , Alnus nitida , and Pyrus malus ; adelgids infesting silver fir and other coniferous trees (label data).

Figures

PLATE 1A–B. Dorsal habitus: A. Halyzia straminea; B. H. dejavu sp. n.

FIGURES 1 – 9. Halyzia straminea: 1. Antenna; 2. Postcoxal plate; 3. Abdominal ventrites V and VI in female; 4. Abdominal ventrites V and VI in male; 5. Female spermatheca; 6 – 9. Male genitalia: 6. Tegmen, ventral view; 7. Apex of median lobe, dorsal view; 8. Sipho; 9. Sipho, apical portion, dorsal view.