Scientific name

Pharoscymnus horni (Weise)

Taxonomic position

Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Sticholotidinae: Sticholotidini

Diagnosis

Length 2.00-2.20 mm, width 1.70-1.90 mm. Form round, strongly convex, dorsal side densely pubescent. Ground colour dark brown, each elytron with a pair of reddish/orange yellow spots, anterior spot subquadrate and larger, posterior spot roundish. Ventral side uniformly dark brown. Head (Fig. 1) quadrate, clypeal margin narrowly extending laterally over eyes, eyes not emarginate around antennal insertions. Antennae (Fig. 2) short, ten-segmented. Last segment of maxillary palpi (Fig. 3) elongate, subconical. Prosternal intercoxal process (Fig. 4) quadrate, with a pair of subparallel carinae. Postcoxal line on abdominal ventrite I (Fig. 5) incomplete, running parallel to posterior margin of ventrite I, but stopping short of lateral margin. Male genitalia (Figs. 6-8) as illustrated. Larva slaty grey.


Figs. 1-8. Pharoscymnus horni (Weise): 1. Head; 2. Antenna; 3. Maxilla; 4. Prosternal intercoxal process; 5. Abdominal ventrite I, showing postcoxal line; 6-8. Male genitalia: 6. Tegmen, lateral view; 7. Tegmen, ventral view; 8. Sipho.

Images

    Adult, dorsal view Adult, dorsal view
 Larva
 Moulting larva
 Pupae

Distribution

India: Widely distributed (Andhra Pradesh; Assam; Bihar; Delhi; Gujarat; Karnataka; Kerala; Maharashtra; Orissa; Rajasthan; Tamil Nadu; Uttar Pradesh; West Bengal; Lakshadweep Islands). Sri Lanka. Pakistan.

Prey / Associated habitat

HEMIPTERA: Coccoidea: Andaspis laingi Rao, Andaspis ?leucophleae Rao, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), Aonidomytilus albus (Cockerell), Aspidiella ?hartii (Cockerell), Aspidiotus destructor Signoret, Aspidiotus tamarindi Green, Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead, Chrysomphalus aonidum (Linnaeus), Coccus viridis (Green), Diaspis echinocacti (Bouche), Duplaspidiotus tesseratus (Grandpre & Charmoy), Hemiberlesia lataniae (Signoret), Lepidosaphes beckii (Newman), Lepidosaphes piperis (Green), Melanaspis glomerata (Green), Parlatoria blanchardi (Targioni Tozzetti), Pinnaspis strachani (Cooley), Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targioni Tozzetti), Phoenicococcus marlatti Cockerell, Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell), and Saissetia coffeae (Walker).

Frequently associated with scale insects infesting sugarcane, black pepper, tea, agave, cactus, tobacco, mango, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), rose, Thevetia neriifolia, Croton sparsiflorus, etc.

Seasonal occurrence

Abundant on Thevetia and cactus infested with scales during January-June in and around Bangalore (Puttarudriah & Channabasavanna, 1956). Collected during March-April and September (South India).

References

  • Chelliah, S. 1965 The male genitalia of a few predaceous coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of South India. Indian Journal of Entomology, 27: 165-167.
  • Das, S.C. & Gope, B. 1984. More about a less known predator: Pharoscymnus horni (Weise), a predator of Chrysomphalus ficus Ashm. Two and a bud, 31: 48-49.
  • Puttarudriah, M. & Channabasavanna, G.P. 1956. Some beneficial coccinellids of Mysore. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 54: 156-159.
  • Puttarudriah, M. & Channabasavanna, G.P. 1957. Notes on some predators of mealybugs (Coccidae, Hemiptera). The Mysore Agricultural Journal, 32: 4-19.
  • Raghunath, T.A.V.S. & Rao, B.H.K. 1982. Studies on the biology and feeding potential of Pharoscymnus horni (Weise) (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera), a predator on the scale insect of sugarcane, Melanaspis glomerata. Maharashtra Sugar, 7: 41-45.
  • Raju, K. & Rao, S. 1982. Biological notes on Pharoscymnus horni Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Cooperative Sugar, 14: 15-16.
  • Rao, C.S. & Subbarao, C. 1981. Studies on the feeding potential of the coccinellid predator Pharoscymnus horni Weise on the scale insect of sugarcane. Indian Sugar, 31 (1983): 401-403.
  • Stebbing, E.P. 1903. Coleoptera 2. Notes upon the known predaceous Coccinellidae of the Indian region, Part I. Indian Museum Notes, VI(1): 47-62.