Aiolocaria Crotch

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 : 33

Genus Aiolocaria Crotch

Aiolocaria Crotch, 1871: 6 . Type species: Coccinella hexaspilota Hope, 1831 , by subsequent designation of Crotch 1871: 6.

Ithone Solsky, 1872: 276 (preoccupied). Type species: Leis mirabilis Motschulsky, 1860 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Form large and round, dorsum strongly convex, glabrous. Anterior margin of clypeus medially distinctly and semicircularly emarginate ( Fig. 18b ). Antenna ( Fig. 18a ) distinctly longer than interocular width; first antennomere nearly as wide as long, with the anterior half forming a semicircular projection, antennomere 9 as broad as long, antennomere 10 strongly transverse and the terminal antennomere nearly as long as wide with an obliquely truncate apex. Pronotum with sides strongly rounded, anterior margin trapezoidally excavated. Elytra laterally broadly expanded and not marginated. Prothoracic hypomeron depressed along sides. Prosternal process carinate, anterior margin of mesoventrite medially shallowly emarginate. Middle and hind tibiae of legs with a pair of apical spurs. Abdominal postcoxal line incomplete, with an associated lateral oblique line ( Fig. 18c ). Epipleuron deeply curved, weakly foveolate on level with middle and hind legs. Coxites ( Fig. 19e ) as illustrated.

Affinities. In the phylogenetic analysis by Tomaszewska et al. (2021), Aiolocaria was included under the Coccinella- group of genera and formed a well-supported sister group with Synona Pope. Morphologically , Aiolocaria showed a sister relationship with another Oriental genus, Palaeoneda . In all these three genera, the anterior clypeal margin is distinctly concave and in Palaeoneda and Aiolocaria , the spermatheca has a long and tubular nodulus.

Distribution. Mainly Oriental and parts of the Palaearctic region.

Included species. This genus is monotypic and the type species, Aiolocaria hexaspilota (Hope) , is distributed in the northwestern and eastern parts of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan .

Figures

FIGURE 18. Aiolocaria hexaspilota (Hope): a. antenna; b. head; c. abdominal postcoxal line; d, e. male genitalia: d. tegmen, ventral view; e. penis; f. spermatheca.

FIGURE 19. Aiolocaria hexaspilota (Hope): a, b. adult, dorsal view; c. abdominal postcoxal line; d. spermatheca; e. coxite; f–i. male genitalia: f. tegmen, lateral view; g. tegmen, ventral view; h. penis; i. penis apex.