''Coccinella transversalis'', commonly known as the transverse ladybird or transverse lady beetle is a species of

ladybird 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 from India across southern and southeastern Asia to

Malesia Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australasian realms, and also a phytogeographical floristic region in the Paleotropical Kingdom. It has been given different definitions. The ...

and Australia. It is not to be confused with '' Coccinella transversoguttata'', a widespread species in Europe and North America also known as the transverse ladybird. The alternative vernacular of small transverse ladybird may be used for ''C. transversalis'' in instances where these two species are discussed together. The transverse ladybird was first described by Danish zoologist

Johan Christian Fabricius Johan Christian Fabricius (7 January 1745 – 3 March 1808) was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others. He was a student of Carl Linnaeus, and is cons ...

in 1781 as ''Coccinella transversalis'' and still bears its original name. Fabricius' description predated

Carl Peter Thunberg Carl Peter Thunberg, also known as Karl Peter von Thunberg, Carl Pehr Thunberg, or Carl Per Thunberg (11 November 1743 – 8 August 1828), was a Swedish naturalist and an "apostle" of Carl Linnaeus. After studying under Linnaeus at Uppsala Un ...

's naming of this species as ''C. repanda'' by several months.

Description

Measuring long and wide, the transverse ladybird shows little variation across its wide range. It has a black head with predominantly bright red or orange

elytra An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alterna ...

boldly marked with a black band down the midline and two lateral three-lobed markings.

Prey

Like many species of ladybirds, the transverse ladybird plays an important role in agriculture as it preys on a wide array of plant-eating insects which damage crops, particularly early in the growing season. Among those insects hunted include many species of

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

s, including the pea aphid (''

Acyrthosiphon pisum ''Acyrthosiphon pisum'', commonly known as the pea aphid (and colloquially known as the green dolphin, pea louse, and clover louse), is a sap-sucking insect in the family Aphididae. It feeds on several species of legumes (plant family Fabaceae) w ...

''), ''

Aphis affinis ''Aphis affinis'' is an aphid of the Family (biology), family Aphididae. The species was described by Giacomo del Guercio in 1911. It is found in southern Europe, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Ladybird predator species of ''A. affi ...

'', cowpea aphid (''

Aphis craccivora ''Aphis craccivora'', variously known as the cowpea aphid, groundnut aphid or black legume aphid, is a true bug in the family ''Aphididae''. Originally of probable Palearctic origin, it is now an invasive species of cosmopolitan distribution. ...

''), cotton aphid (''

Aphis gossypii ''Aphis gossypii'' is a tiny insect, an aphid ("greenfly") in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order Hemiptera. It is a true bug and sucks sap from plants. It is a widely distributed pest of a variety of agricultural crops in the families Cucu ...

''), milkweed aphid (''

Aphis nerii ''Aphis nerii'' is an aphid of the Family (biology), family Aphididae. Its common names include oleander aphid, milkweed aphid, sweet pepper aphid, and nerium aphid. Distribution The oleander aphid is widespread in regions with tropical and Med ...

''), spirea aphid (''

Aphis spiraecola ''Aphis spiraecola'' is a species of aphid described in 1914 by Edith Marion Patch. Its common names include green citrus aphid, Spirea aphid, and apple aphid. It is distributed worldwide, and is most abundant in the United States. It has a dip ...

''), leafcurling plum aphid (''

Brachycaudus helichrysi ''Brachycaudus helichrysi'' is a species of aphid first described by the German naturalist Johann Heinrich Kaltenbach in 1843. Its common names include leaf curl plum aphid, and leaf-curling plum aphid, and it is a serious pest of plum and da ...

''), cabbage aphid (''

Brevicoryne brassicae ''Brevicoryne brassicae'', commonly known as the cabbage aphid or cabbage aphis, is a destructive aphid (plant louse) native to Europe that is now found in many other areas of the world. The aphids feed on many varieties of produce, including ca ...

''), '' Cervaphis quercus'', '' Cervaphis rappardi indica'', turnip aphid ('' Lipaphis pseudobrassicae''), '' Macrosiphoniella yomogifoliae'', potato aphid (''

Macrosiphum euphorbiae ''Macrosiphum euphorbiae'', the potato aphid, is a sap-sucking pest insect in the family Aphididae. It infests potatoes and a number of other commercially important crops. Distribution ''Macrosiphum euphorbiae'' originated in North America but ...

''), rose aphid (''

Macrosiphum rosae ''Macrosiphum rosae'', the rose aphid, is a species of sap-sucking aphids in the subfamily Aphidinae. They have a world-wide distribution and infest rosebushes as the main host in spring and early summer, congregating on the tips of shoots and a ...

''), '' Melanaphis donacis'', ''

Melanaphis sacchari The sugarcane aphid, (''Melanaphis sacchari''), is an aphid in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order Hemiptera. It is a true bug and sucks sap from plants. It is mostly found in ''Saccharum'' and '' Sorghum'' species. The species primarily r ...

'', '' Myzus nicotianae'', green peach aphid (''

Myzus persicae ''Myzus persicae'', known as the green peach aphid, greenfly, or the peach-potato aphid, is a small green aphid belonging to the order Hemiptera. It is the most significant aphid pest of peach trees, causing decreased growth, shrivelling of the ...

''), ''

Pentalonia nigronervosa ''Pentalonia nigronervosa'' (banana aphid) is an aphid in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order Hemiptera. It is a true bug and sucks sap mainly from ''Musa'' species. Host plants Also known to infest '' Alpinia purpurata'', ''Xanthosoma'' ...

'', corn aphid (''

Rhopalosiphum maidis ''Rhopalosiphum maidis'', common names corn leaf aphid and corn aphid, is an insect, and a pest of maize and other crops. It has a nearly worldwide distribution and is typically found in agricultural fields, grasslands, and forest-grassland zon ...

''), '' Sitobion rosaeiformis'', '' Taoia indica'', '' Toxoptera aurantii'', ''

Therioaphis ononidis ''Therioaphis'' is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae. There are more than 20 described species in ''Therioaphis''. Species These 25 species belong to the genus ''Therioaphis'': * '' Therioaphis aizenbergi'' * '' Therioaphis alatina'' Hi ...

'', ''

Therioaphis trifolii ''Therioaphis trifolii'', the yellow clover aphid, is a species of aphid in the family Aphididae The Aphididae are a very large insect family in the aphid superfamily ( Aphidoidea), of the order Hemiptera. These insects suck the sap from plan ...

'', '' Uroleucon compositae'' and '' Uroleucon sonchi'', species of

leafhopper A leafhopper is the common name for any species from the family Cicadellidae. These minute insects, colloquially known as hoppers, are plant feeders that suck plant sap from grass, shrubs, or trees. Their hind legs are modified for jumping, and a ...

including '' Empoascanara indica'' and '' Idioscopus clypealis'', the scale insect species '' Orthezia insignis'', the Asian citrus psyllid (''

Diaphorina citri ''Diaphorina citri'', the Asian citrus psyllid, is a sap-sucking, hemipteran bug in the family Psyllidae. It is one of two confirmed vectors of citrus greening disease. It has a wide distribution in southern Asia and has spread to other citrus g ...

''), the cotton bollworm (''

Helicoverpa armigera ''Helicoverpa armigera'' is a species of Lepidoptera in the family Noctuidae. It is known as the cotton bollworm, corn earworm, Old World (African) bollworm, or scarce bordered straw (the lattermost in the UK, where it is a migrant). The larvae f ...

''), and oriental leafworm moth (''

Spodoptera litura ''Spodoptera litura'', otherwise known as the tobacco cutworm or cotton leafworm, is a nocturnal moth in the family Noctuidae. ''S. litura'' is a serious polyphagous pest in Asia, Oceania, and the Indian subcontinent that was first described b ...

'').

References

External links

Killer Ladybirds
at www.abc.net.au/science
Coccinella transversalis
at

Atlas of Living Australia The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) is an online repository of information about Australian plants, animals, and fungi. Development started in 2006. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an organisation sign ...

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q309705 Coccinellidae Beetles of Australia Beetles of Asia Insects of Sri Lanka Beetles described in 1781 Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius