''Chilocorus subindicus'', is a species of

lady beetle Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...

found in India, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Description

Very similar to '' Chilocorus nigritus'' in morphology. Body length is about 2.7 to 3.8 mm. Body outline is subcircular. Elytra pitchy to almost black. Pronotum pitchy on the disc, but gradually turned to pale yellowish-brown laterally. Head and ventrum yellowish-brown. Head clothed with fine pubescence. Frons moderately punctured, and the interstices are weakly convex. Pronotum and elytra punctured and sculptured. In male genitalia, the median lobe is broadest about middle which gets narrowing basally and apically. Apex broadly rounded ventrally and turned dorsal laterally. Parameres are weakly constricted basally.

Biology

The beetle is known to feed on aphids and scales such as ''

Aspidiotus destructor ''Aspidiotus destructor'', the coconut scale, is a species of armoured scale insect in the family Diaspididae, found in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world. It is a serious pest of coconut and banana, and attacks a range of other ...

'', '' Parasaissetia nigra'', and '' Saissetia'', as well as two whitefly species, ''

Aleurocanthus arecae ''Aleurocanthus'' is a genus of whiteflies in the family Aleyrodidae. Species *'' Aleurocanthus arecae'' David & Manjunatha, 2003 *'' Aleurocanthus ayyari'' Regu & David, 1993 *'' Aleurocanthus bambusae'' (Peal, 1903) *'' Aleurocanthus bangalo ...

'', and '' Aleurodicus dispersus.

References

Coccinellidae Insects of Sri Lanka Beetles described in 1998 {{Coccinellidae-stub