Scymnus (Pullus) latemaculatus Motschulsky (=Scymnus quadrillum auctt.)

Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Scymninae: Scymnini

Length 1.6-2.0 mm, width 1.3-1.5 mm. Form short oval, moderately convex. Head yellowish, slightly darker towards apex in female. Pronotum dark brown or black, sides and anterior margin paler, reddish brown. Scutellum black. Elytra dark brown/black, with two pairs of orange yellow spots, anterior pair large, transverse and subquadrate, posterior pair slightly smaller. Antenna (Fig. 1a) 11-segmented. Postcoxal line (Fig. 1b) complete, area enclosed sparsely punctate in middle, smooth along postcoxal line. Prosternal carinae (Fig. 1c) parallel, anteriorly convergent. Male genitalia diagnostic (Fig. 1d-e).


Figs. 1a-e. Scymnus atemaculatus: a. Antenna; b. Postcoxal plate on abdominal sternite 1; c. Prosternal intercoxal process; d-e. Male genitalia: d. Sipho; e. Tegmen, ventral view

Larva light brown with three pairs of conical, shiny white waxy extrusions (one dorsal, one dorsolateral and one lateral in position) on each segment of thorax and abdomen (except mesothoracic segment, which has only two pairs), short in early instars and longer in full-grown larvae.

This species is very similar to the species of Horniolus in external appearance. Records of Horniolus guimeti (Mulsant) from South India are probably misidentifications of this species.

       Adult - dorsal habitus
   Larva - dorsal view

Widely distributed almost throughout India (Andhra Pradesh; Assam; Karnataka; Kerala; Tamil Nadu; Uttar Pradesh). Myanmar. Taiwan. China.

HEMIPTERA: Aphididae: Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis gossypii Glover, Aphis laburni auct., Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe, Aphis punicae Passerini, Aphis rumicis Linnaeus, Aphis spiraecola Patch, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch). Coccoidea: Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), Aonidiella orientalis (Newstead), Coccidohystrix insolita (Green). Commonly associated with aphids feeding on crops such as cowpea, brinjal, cotton, bhendi, lablab, hibiscus, gliricidia, tobacco, and pigeonpea.

Collected almost round the year in and around Bangalore. Particularly active during July-October (Puttarudriah & Channabasavanna, 1953). Collected during March, and September-November in northeastern region.

Homalotylus terminalis (Say), H. t. californicus Girault, Homalotylus sp. (Encyrtidae) and Pachyneuron sp. (Pteromalidae).