Calvia vulnerata (Hope)

POORANI, J., 2023, An illustrated guide to lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part 1. Tribe Coccinellini, Zootaxa 5332 (1), pp. 1-307 : 71

Calvia vulnerata (Hope)

( Fig. 45 )

Coccinella vulnerata Hope, 1831: 31 (Lectotype, HEC, OMNH; Type locality: Nepal).

Calvia vulnerata: Korschefsky 1932: 529 ; Booth 1997: 927; Poorani 2002a: 324; Yu 2010: 61.

Coccinella uniramosa Hope, 1831: 31 ; Mulsant 1866: 244 (as Verania ); Korschefsky 1932: 529.—Synonymized by Booth & Pope 1989: 367; Booth 1997: 927.

Calvia flaccida Mulsant, 1853a: 151 .— Korschefsky 1932: 524.— Gordon 1987.—Synonymized by Booth & Pope 1989: 368; Booth 1997: 927.

Anisocalvia vishnu Crotch, 1874: 145 ; Korschefsky 1932: 529.—Synonymized by Booth & Pope 1989: 368; Booth 1997: 927.

Anisocalvia krishna Crotch, 1874: 145 ; Korschefsky 1932: 524.—Synonymized by Booth & Pope 1989: 368; Booth 1997: 927.

Anisocalvia buddha Crotch, 1874: 145 ; Korschefsky 1932: 521.—Synonymized by Booth & Pope 1989: 368; Booth 1997: 927.

Diagnosis. Length: 6.70–7.00 mm. A highly variable species, ground colour of elytra pale pinkish ( Fig. 45a–c ) or yellow to yellowish brown ( Fig. 45d, e ) or darker reddish brown ( Fig. 45f ), rarely black, usually with six spots (arranged as in Fig. 45a–c, d, f ), spots either yellow or black, with or without a paler or darker outer ring; in all spotted forms, the positions occupied by each spot constant, apical and lateral spots often fused to some extent ( Fig. 45a–c ); rarely elytra 11-spotted with a black sutural stripe ( Fig. 45e ). If spots absent, then elytra with narrow black suture and black sublateral line; rarely elytra fully black except for fine reddish-brown margin, pronotum uniform orange-brown. Elytral punctation dual, with larger punctures closely arranged, separated on average by slightly more than one diameter, usually with a single row of small punctures between adjacent large punctures. Abdominal postcoxal line ( Fig. 45g ) incomplete. Male genitalia ( Fig. 45h–j ) as illustrated.

Distribution: India (Sikkim, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Delhi); Bhutan; Nepal; China.

Prey / associated habitat. Feeding on aphids infesting Dalbergia sissoo (label data).

Seasonal occurrence. Collected during February, March, April–June (label data).

Notes. It is a highly variably coloured Himalayan species and appears to be rarely collected. Booth (1997) reviewed it with illustrations of the genitalia and a list of synonyms.

Figures

FIGURE 45. Calvia vulnerata: a–f. adult, colour variants; g. abdominal postcoxal line; h–j. male genitalia: h. tegmen, ventral view; i. penis; j. penis apex (Image credit: a–c: Jaroslav Větrovec).