Parinesa, Gordon, 1991

Escalona, H. E. & Slipinski, A., 2012, Revision of the Neotropical ladybird genus Parinesa Gordon (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae), Zootaxa 3198 (1), pp. 29-53 : 30-31

The genera Parinesa , Argentipilosa and Glomerella

Parinesa is very similar to Argentipilosa and Glomerella because of its small compact body, development of prosternal lobe (chin piece) and foveate ventral side for legs reception in repose. In Gordon’s (1994) key to genera to the New World Sticholotidini , the morphological characters used to separate Glomerella and Parinesa , like pronotal pilosity and external angulation of protibia, vary among the species of Parinesa as interpreted here. Argentipilosa , which could easily be confused with them, was not included in the key but described in a separate tribe, Argentipilosini . In addition to the anteriorly expanded prosternum, Gordon & Almeida (1991) diagnosed Argentipilosini by two unique characters: tarsi with “modified suckerlike setae” and posterior edge of abdominal ventrite V “sawtoothed”. Both characters also occur in Parinesa ( Figs 39 and 115 respectively) and other Coccinellidae (ṡlipi ṅski & Burckhardt 2006, ṡlipi ṅski 2007). It appears that both Glomerella and Parinesa can be included in Argentipilosini , if recognized as valid or combined with expanded Cryptognathini as suggested by Vandenberg (in litt.) and further supported by morphological and molecular evidence ( Seago et al. 2011). These genera can be distinguished from other New World Sticholotidini by the following combination of characters: head without supraorbital sulcus; subantennal grooves well developed; elytral epipleura foveate for legs reception in repose; protibia broad and flattened; middle and posterior tibia excavated for tarsal reception and abdominal postcoxal lines incomplete. The following succinct diagnoses can be used to differentiate those genera:

Parinesa Gordon, 1991 . Head transverse 0.7 ( Fig. 22) as long as broad. Eyes coarsely faceted and glabrous ( Fig. 23). Ocular canthus narrowly margined, edge rounded at sides ( Fig. 23). Clypeus ( Fig. 22) projected, often shorter than scape, apex truncate to slightly emarginate, antennal emarginations rounded. Last maxillary palpomere subparallel ( Figs 53, 63, 135). Gular region well developed ( Fig. 43). Prosternum ( Figs 27, 29), gradually raised and variably lobed anteriorly, forming a chin piece, partially covering the base of the mouthparts in repose. Antilles, Central and South America.

Argentipilosa Gordon & Almeida, 1991 . Head transverse 0.7 ( Fig. 4) as long as broad. Eyes coarsely faceted and apparently glabrous. Ocular canthus not margined, edge angulate at sides. Clypeus ( Fig. 4) slightly projected, shorter than scape, apex broadly curved, antennal emarginations subquadrate. Last maxillary palpomere subparallel. Gular region very short ( Fig. 5). Prosternum ( Fig. 6) triangular and distinctly prominent, forming a chin piece meeting anterior clypeal margin in repose. Brazil and unnamed species from British Guiana, Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago.

Glomerella Gordon, 1977 . Head slightly transverse, 0.9 ( Fig. 2) as long as broad. Eyes coarsely faceted with disperse setae. Ocular canthus narrowly margined, rounded at sides. Clypeus ( Fig. 2) well projected slightly longer than scape, apex broadly emarginate, antennal emarginations rounded. Last maxillary palpomere barely expanded to apex ( Fig. 3). Gular region well developed. Prosternum lobed anteriorly forming a chin piece, partially covering the base of the mouthparts in repose. Brazil.