Chilocorus nigritus (formerly known as Chilocorus nigrita), sometimes referred to as the Malaysian ladybird beetle, is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is native to SE Asia, but has been introduced for use in biological pest control in Hawaii and many parts of the world,[1] including Europe.[2]

Chilocorus nigritus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Chilocorus
Species:
C. nigritus
Binomial name
Chilocorus nigritus
(Fabricius, 1798)
Synonyms
  • Coccinella nigrita Fabricius, 1798

Distribution

edit

It is found in Agalega, American Samoa, Benin, Bermuda, Brazil, Eswatini, Ghana, Guam, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Oman, Pakistan, Reunion Island, Seychelles, Society Islands, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, United States, Vanuatu and Zimbabwe.[3][4]

Description

edit

Very similar to Chilocorus subindicus in morphology. Body length is about 3.2 to 4.0 mm. Body sub circular. Elytra, pronotum and outer margins of elytral epipleura are very dark pitchy black in color. Head, lateral parts of pronotum, legs and ventrum yellowish brown.[5] Lateral margins of elytra are much paler than disc. Vertex of head and lateral sides of pronotum are darker brown to black in many females. Head clothed with fine pubescence. Head variably punctured from fine to moderately coarse. Interstices ranges from flat to convex. Pronotum finely punctured with flat interstices which become shiny on disc. Elytra shiny, and without microsculpture. Elytra finely punctured, where the punctures are separated by 3 to 6 diameters on disc. In male genitalia, median lobe with broad basal half which is abruptly contracted at base and bulging sub-basally. Apex of median lobe turned ventrally in lateral sides. Parameres are blade-shaped and abruptly angled.[6]

Biology

edit

It is one of the major predators on diaspid scale insects such as Aonidiella aurantii, Abgrallaspis cyanophylli, Aleurotrachelus atratus, Aonidiella citrina, Aspidiotus rigidus, Chrysomphalus aonidum, Lepidosaphes gloverii, Parasaissetia nigra, Parlatoria blanchardi, Saccharicoccus sacchari, Aonidiella orientalis, Aspidiotus destructor, Hemiberiesia latanias, Leucaspis coniferarum, Pinnaspis strachani, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus, Tecaspis.[4][7][8][9] [10]

References

edit
  1. ^ ITIS
  2. ^ BPDB listing, UK
  3. ^ "Chilocorus nigritus". www.cabi.org. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  4. ^ a b "Chilocorus nigritus (Fabricius, 1798)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  5. ^ "Predatory Coccinellids (Coleoptera: Cocinellidae) of vegetable insect pests: a survey in mid country of Sri Lanka" (PDF). Tropical Agricultural Research Vol: 19, 69-77 (2007). Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  6. ^ Booth, R. G. (August 1998). "A review of the species resembling Chilocorus nigrita (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): potential agents for biological control". Bulletin of Entomological Research. 88 (4): 361–367. doi:10.1017/S0007485300042115. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  7. ^ Omkar; Pervez, A. (2003-06-01). "Ecology and Biocontrol Potential of a Scale-Predator, Chilocorus nigritus". Biocontrol Science and Technology. 13 (4): 379–390. doi:10.1080/0958315031000104505. S2CID 85645304. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  8. ^ Hattingh, Vaughan; Samways, Michael J. (1995). "Visual and olfactory location of biotopes, prey patches, and individual prey by the ladybeetle Chilocorus nigritus". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 75: 87–98. doi:10.1111/j.1570-7458.1995.tb01914.x. S2CID 85137905. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  9. ^ Samways, M. J.; Wilson, S. J. (1988). "Aspects of the feeding behaviour of Chilocorus nigritus (F.) (Col., Coccinellidae) relative to its effectiveness as a biocontrol agent". Journal of Applied Entomology. 106 (1–5): 177–182. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0418.1988.tb00580.x. S2CID 85353364. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  10. ^ Ponsonby, D. J.; Copland, M. J. W. (2007). "Influence of host density and population structure on egg production in the coccidophagous ladybird, Chilocorus nigritus F. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". Agricultural and Forest Entomology. 9 (4): 287–296. doi:10.1111/j.1461-9563.2007.00344.x. S2CID 84576727. Retrieved 2021-09-08.