Scymnus (Pullus) coccivora Ramakrishna Ayyar, 1925: 491. (=Scymnus coccivora Ayyar, Pullus coccidivora, Scymnus (Pullus) elegans Sicard, Scymnus (Pullus) elegans var. clathratus Sicard, 1929)

Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Scymninae: Scymnini

Length 1.70-1.90 mm, width 1.20-1.30 mm. Form elongate oval, moderately convex. Ground colour pale golden yellow to yellowish brown, with dark purplish brown markings on elytra. Elytra with an hour glass-shaped longitudinal marking in basal half, which sometimes appears as two distinct markings; two small circular spots present in posterior half; elytral pattern variable, sometimes with only posterior spots present or uniformly yellowish brown, completely devoid of markings. Antenna (Fig. 1) 11-segmented. Prosternal intercoxal process (Fig. 3) with a pair of carinae, broader towards posterior. Postcoxal line (Fig. 2) complete and semicircular, area adjacent to postcoxal line smooth. Male genitalia (Figs. 4-6) as illustrated. Larva with dorsal surface covered with white waxy filaments.


Fig.1-6. Scymnus coccivora Ayyar: 1. Antenna; 2. Postcoxal line; 3. Prosternal intercoxal process; 4-6. Male genitalia: 4. Tegmen, ventral view; 5. Tegmen, lateral view; 6. Sipho

           Adult
   Adult without elytral spots
 Larva feeding on mealybugs

Widely distributed throughout India (Andhra Pradesh; Karnataka; Kerala; Madhya Pradesh; Tamil Nadu; Uttar Pradesh). Pakistan. Sri Lanka. Thailand. Malaysia. Papua New Guinea. Introduced into the Caribbeans (Trinidad & Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis) to control hibiscus mealybug (Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green)).

HEMIPTERA: Aleyrodidae: Aleurodicus dispersus Russell. Aphididae: Aphis punicae Passerini. Coccoidea: Birendracoccus (as Pseudococcus) saccharifolii (Green), Coccidohystrix insolita (Green), Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell), Icerya aegyptiaca (Douglas), Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), Megapulvinaria (as Pulvinaria) maxima (Green), Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead), Planococcus citri (Risso), Planococcus lilacinus (Cockerell), Planococcus minor (Maskell) (as P. pacificus Cox), Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni Tozzetti), Pulvinaria (as Chloropulvinaria) polygonata Cockerell, Pulvinaria psidii Maskell, Pulvinaria sp., Rastrococcus iceryoides (Green), Rastrococcus invadens Williams, Rastrococcus spinosus (Robinson), Saissetia privigna De Lotto, Pinnaspis sp. ACARI: Tetranychidae: Tetranychus ludeni Zacher, Tetranychus urticae Koch. Common on mealybug and aphid infestations on brinjal, cotton, guava, mango, mulberry, teak, citrus, grapevine, Pongamia sp., Chromolaena odorata, Thevetia neriifolia, neem, etc.

Collected almost round the year in southern states of India.