Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant

Nattier, Romain, Jourdan, Hervé, Mille, Christian & Chazeau, Jean, 2015, An annotated checklist of the Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) from New Caledonia, Zootaxa 4058 (3), pp. 301-331 : 318

Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant

Cryptolaemus Montrousieri Mulsant, 1853: 268 .

Cryptolaemus simplex Blackburn, 1888: 1506 —synonymized by Booth & Pope 1986: 708. Cryptolemus montrouzieri : Bielawski 1961: 2.

Cryptolaemus montrouzieri is widespread in New Caledonia and adjacent islands. It was described from Woodlark Island by Mulsant from a specimen sent by Montrouzier, but its actual range encompasses the whole Australasian region, up to Sulawesi and several islands in the Pacific region ( Vanuatu, Solomon, Fiji, Micronesia, Cook, Samoa, Wallis & Futuna, French Polynesia and Hawaii). It has been introduced for biocontrol control programs against scale and mealybug insects ( Coccidae , Pseudococcidae ), and is an occasional aphid ( Aphididae ) feeder, in North America (recorded from California, Florida, Indiana, Missouri), South Africa, south of Europe and Great Britain. It has also been recorded to feed on eggs from Spodoptera mauritia (Boisduval) in Hawaii ( Leeper 1975).

Material examined. NEW CALEDONIA: Bourail, Gouaro, 68m, 08.i.2001 (S. Cazères rec.) ( CXMNC); Sarraméa, Col d'Amieu, 20.vi.2008 ( CXMNC); Boulouparis, Mont Do, 1029m, 07.xii.2006 (J-P. Kataoui rec.) ( CXMNC); I. Walpole, 1934 (E. Aubert de la Rüe rec.) ( MNHN); Environ de Nouméa, 1934 (E. Aubert de la Rue rec.) ( MNHN); Nouméa, 15.xii.1981 (R. Catala rec.) ( MNHN); Monts Koghi, 15.xii.1981 (R. Catala rec.) ( MNHN); Nouméa, 4.i.1951 ( MNHN).