Coccidula litophiloides Reitter, 1890

Szawaryn, Karol, Nedved, Oldrich, Biranvand, Amir, Czerwinski, Tomasz & Nattier, Romain, 2021, Revision of the genus Coccidula Kugelann (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae), ZooKeys 1043, pp. 61-85 : 61

Coccidula litophiloides Reitter, 1890 Figs 1E , 3A-E , 4A-D

Coccidula litophiloides Reitter, 1890: 176

Lithophilus naviauxi Duverger, 1983: 83. syn. nov.

Material examined.

Holotype. Azerbaijan, "Caucasus Araxesthal Leder Reitter/ Coll. Reitter / Coccidula litophiloides 1890/ Holotypus 1890 Coccidula litophiloides Reitter", male (HNHM) (Fig. 11C ) . Holotype of L. naviauxi , Iran, Vannae, 30-V-77, leg. M. Rapilly, female (MNHN) . Paratypes of C. litophiloides . Data same as for the holotype, (7: HNHM). Paratypes of L. naviauxi : Iran, Daran, 9-VI-77, M. Rapilly leg. (2 females: MNHN) (Figs 11A, B ) . Other material. Armenia, Eczmiadzin Cauc , 22 IV 1946, 6399, W. Eichler (2: MIZ); Jerevan město, Razdan, 26- 27.5.1988, J. Strejček lgt., (1 male, 1 female: NMP) ; Iran, Lorestan, 1.1960 leg. A. Warchałowski (1: AJC) ; Iran, Khorramabad, 19-V-77, M. Rapilly leg. (1: MNHN) .

Diagnosis.

Coccidula litophiloides is very distinctive among Coccidula species with large produced posterior pronotal angles, and a prosternal process without carinae (which are present in all remaining species). With its general body shape slightly widening posteriorly and pronotum distinctly widened laterally with broad lateral bead appearing glabrous, it is similar to C. scutellata . Male genitalia are distinctive with large, elliptical parameres possessing projections on their inner surfaces, which is also unique among Coccidula . Spermatheca, in female genitalia, is distinctly widening apically and has a very short sperm duct, about ¼ of the length of spermatheca.

Description.

Length 3.0-3.5 mm, BL/BW = 1.95-1.97, EL/BW = 1.32-1.40, PW/BW = 0.81.

Body elongate, slightly widening in posterior part. Dorsal and ventral side yellow to testaceous (Fig. 1E ).

Head and pronotum covered with uniform small setiferous punctures arranged irregularly. Pronotum transverse, broadly rounded laterally (Figs 1E , 3B ), with broad, glabrous lateral margin, covered with dense setriferous punctures, with a single row of larger punctures along lateral border. Posterior pronotal corner large, distinctly pointed (Fig. 3B ). Prosternum with complete anterior bordering line. Prosternal process without lateral carinae (Fig. 3C ).

Scutellar shield pentagonal, covered with dense setiferous punctures. Elytra covered with two types of punctures, small setiferous punctures irregularly distributed throughout elytral surface, some of these punctures surrounded by larger depressed circles, forming irregular longitudinal rows; rows 2 and 3 reduced or missing (Fig. 3A ). Elytra more flattened in lateral view than in other Coccidula , without shoulder tubercle, lateral elytral margin visible throughout (Fig. 3A ). Hind wings missing. Mesoventrite with anterior border complete. Metaventrite with postcoxal lines transverse, descending only laterally, fused on metaventral process in median part, forming continuous arc (Fig. 3D ); covered with setiferous punctures very sparsely distributed in central part of sclerite, densely setose in lateral parts, without distinct rows of large punctures below postcoxal lines, large punctures above metacoxae present.

Abdominal postcoxal lines complete, rounded, reaching slightly less than half of length of the ventrite 1 measured below metacoxa. Ventrites covered with dense setiferous punctures.

Male genitalia. Tegmen in inner view with penis guide pentagonal with pointed apex (Fig. 4B ); short, slightly longer than half length of parameres (Fig. 4A ). Parameres large, elliptical, inner surface with distinct projections (Fig. 4B ), with fringe of long setae in apical margin. Penis simple with pointed apex (Fig. 4C ).

Female genitalia. Sperm duct short (Fig. 4D ), about as long as 1/4 of spermatheca. Spermatheca vermiform, distinctly broadened apically. Accessory gland membranous, longer than sperm duct.

Type locality.

Caucasus, Ordubad (Azerbaijan).

Distribution.

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran

Remarks.

Duverger (1983) described Lithophilus naviauxi from Iran. After examination of the type specimens (Fig. 1A, B ) we noticed that this species does not belong to the genus Lithophilus Frölich (= Tetrabrachys Kapur). As drawn in the original publication ( Duverger 1983), it has antennae with 11 antennomeres (10 in Tetrabrachys ), and pseudotrimerous tarsi with tarsomere 3 very small and tarsomere 2 distinctly lobed, while in Tetrabrachys tarsi are distinctly tetramerous, with tarsomere 3 and 2 elongate, without distinct lobe. Duverger in his paper (1983) described L. naviauxi based on just three female specimens of which he illustrated the spermatheca ( Duverger 1983: 89, figs 30, 31). However, C. litophiloides is also found in Iran. Comparison of the female genitalia of the type material of both taxa, and other available material, together with the lack of a second and third row of large punctures on the elytra, and other morphological features described in the original description of Duverger, led to the conclusion that L. naviauxi Duverger falls well within the definition of C. litophiloides ; thus, we propose to synonymize both species.

Figures

Figure 1. Immature stages and habitus of adult species of Coccidula Kugelann A C. rufa larva B C. rufa pupa C C. lepida, dorsal D C. lepida, ventral E C. litophiloides F C. reitteri G C. rufa H C. scutellata A, B Gilles San Martin, Wikimedia Commons C, D Danny Haelewaters G, H Udo Schmidt. Scale bars: 1 mm (C-H).

Figure 3. Coccidula litophiloides Reitter SEM illustrations, paratype HNHM A body, dorsal B pronotum C head and prothorax, ventral D meso and metaventrite E head ventral. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 500 µm (B-D); 400 µm (E).

Figure 4. Coccidula litophiloides Reitter A tegmen, lateral B tegmen, inner C penis, lateral D spermatheca. Scale bar: 500 µm (A-D).

Figure 11. Lithophilus naviauxi Duverger A paratype MNHN, dorsal B paratype labels and abdomen C Coccidula litophiloides Reitter, holotype labels D Coccidula suturalis Reitter, holotype labels.