Platynaspis flavoguttata

Platynaspis flavoguttata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Superfamily:	Coccinelloidea
Family:	Coccinellidae
Subfamily:	Chilocorinae
Genus:	Platynaspis
Species:	P. flavoguttata
Binomial name
Platynaspis flavoguttata (Gorham, 1894)
Synonyms
Scymnus? flavoguttatus Gorham 1894 Pharus flavoguttata Weise 1895 Platynaspis flavoguttata Sicard 1913

Platynaspis flavoguttata is a species of lady beetle native to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.[1]

Distribution

In India, the species is observed from Sagara: Mullluman, Karnataka province. In Sri Lanka, it is found in Habaraduwa area, Galle district.

Description

It is a broad oval insect with densely pubescent body and a mixture of yellow and dark brown hairs. Head yellowish with a longitudinal median reddish brown band. Sometimes there can be a reddish brown band with a pair of yellowish lateral spots. Pronotum dark reddish brown with three yellowish markings. Each elytron consists with three spots in a 2–1 arrangement. Ventral side reddish color. Antennae, mouthparts, and legs are lighter yellowish brown.[2]

Sri Lanka form is slightly different from Indian counterparts: head more or less fully brown. Pronotum reddish brown. There are subtriangular, yellowish lateral markings on pronotum. Elytron with the discal spot distinctly more rounded, and the apical spot is crescent-shaped.[2]

Biology

Larva is observed in the holes in Terminalia paniculata. Show muturalistic relationship with red ants.[2]

References

1. "An annotated checklist of the Coccinellidae of the Indian subregion" (PDF). Project Directorate of Biological Control. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
2. Poorani J (2014-05-23). "Redescription of Platynaspisflavoguttata (Gorham) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) and notes on nomenclature of Platynaspiskapuri Chakraborty & Biswas". Biodiversity Data Journal. 2 (2): e1096. doi:10.3897/BDJ.2.e1096. PMC 4092243. PMID 25057247.