Halyzia dejavu, Poorani, J. & Booth, R. G., 2006

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 : 66-68

2. Halyzia dejavu sp. n. ( Plate 1B , Figs. 10–17 )

Diagnosis: Halyzia dejavu sp.n. is very similar to H. straminea in its general appearance, but can be differentiated from the latter by the following: (i) body outline, particularly elytra, broader and more rounded, lateral sides of pronotum and elytra conspicuously and very broadly explanate, (ii) pronotal spots larger and more widely separated; (iii) all the elytral spots always distinctly elongate and much longer than broad, somewhat obliquely placed, (iv) elytral punctures slightly finer and more deeply impressed, interstices with dense, deeply impressed microsculpture, (v) prosternal intercoxal process with subparallel carinae, not reaching up to middle of prosternum (vi) postcoxal line much more reduced and only slightly recurved laterally, not reaching the lateral margin, and (vii) the male genitalia, particularly the sipho.

Description: Length 8.05–8.50 mm, width 6.96–7.20 mm. Form elongate, broadly oval, broadest around middle of elytra, dorsal side glabrous except for head. Ground colour of head, pronotum and elytra bright luteous to lemon yellow, as in H. straminea ; pronotum with a pair of subquadrate to crescent-shaped, reddish brown to dull brown spots, one on either side of scutellum on posterior margin; scutellum yellow with pale brown border; each elytron with four reddish brown to dull brown spots in a 1-2-1 pattern as in H. straminea , but all spots clearly much longer than wide and obliquely positioned; elytral suture with dull brown to reddish brown stripe with scalloped / wavy margin ( Plate 1B ); lateral sides of pronotum and elytra transparent. Ventral side with pronotal hypomera, pro- and mesosterna and elytral epipleura pale luteous yellow; mouthparts, legs, metasternum and abdomen darker yellow to yellowish brown.

Head partly retracted into pronotum, inner margins of eyes anteriorly strongly divergent, interocular distance slightly less than eye width, eye canthus deep. Pronotum with lateral sides upturned, dorsum with shallowly impressed punctures, separated by 1–4 diameters, concentrated only in middle, punctation obliterated or absent towards lateral sides, interspaces between punctures microreticulate. Scutellum triangular, about 1/11 as wide as posterior margin of pronotum. Elytra with very broadly explanate lateral sides, punctation more deeply impressed and denser than that on pronotum, punctures more or less evenly spaced, separated by 2–5 diameters, interspaces between punctures with deep and dense microsculpture.

Prosternal intercoxal process with a pair of subparallel carinae, not reaching middle of prosternum. Anterior margin of mesosternum very shallowly emarginate in middle. Postcoxal plate on abdominal ventrite I ( Fig. 10 ) very short and incomplete, stopping well short of posterior margin. Posterior margin of ventrite V in female ( Fig. 11 ) medially produced into a semicircular lobe, more conspicuous than that in H. straminea , and with a deep, concave depression or dent in middle, ventrite VI medially barely emarginate; in male, ventrite V shallowly and ventrite VI very deeply and semicircularly emarginate, with a heavy fringe of marginal hairs in the latter ( Fig. 12 ). Tarsal claws with a large, broad basal tooth. Elytral epipleura strongly concave in middle, upturned in outer half.

Female spermatheca ( Fig. 13 ) as illustrated. Male genitalia ( Figs. 14–17 ) with median lobe of tegmen ( Fig. 14 ) very similar to that in H. straminea , but more compact with an apical projection, posterolateral corners of terminal expansion sharply pointed; sipho ( Fig. 15 ) having siphonal capsule with clear inner and outer processes ( Fig. 16 ), siphonal apex ( Fig.17 ) with two rows of irregular serrations on ventral side, conspicuous in lateral view.

Specimens examined: Holotype male, Nepal: Phulcoki, 2700 m, Montane Oak Forest, 11/VIII/1983 / M.G. Allen BM 1983-254/ Halyzia n. sp. Det. R.G. Booth 2006; Paratypes: 4 females, Nepal: 8800’ Kathmandu Dist., Phulcoki, 27.-31.v.1983 / M.J.D. Brendell B.M. 1983-222 (BMNH). India: Sikkim: Feeding on aphids on wild plant, no other data, 1 ♀.

Distribution: Presently known from India (Sikkim) and Nepal.

Etymology: The species name is in reference to the fact that it looks very familiar and similar to another already known species, H. straminea .

Remarks: Mader (1932) illustrated this species as H. straminea (Table 56, Fig. 8 ) along with the nominate form of H. straminea (Table 56, Fig. 9 ). He mentioned that they appeared to be different, but probably belonged to the same species.

Associated habitat: Data label of a specimen in PDBC collections indicates, perhaps erroneously, that this species was feeding on indeterminate aphids. One paratype from Phulcoki (BMNH) was collected at light.

Figures

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

FIGURES 10 – 17. Halyzia dejavu sp. n.: 10. Postcoxal line on ventrite I; 11. Abdominal ventrites V and VI in female; 12. Abdominal ventrites V and VI in male; 13. Female, spermatheca; 14 – 17. Male genitalia: 14. Tegmen, ventral view; 15. Sipho; 16. Siphonal capsule; 15. Siphonal apex.

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.