Synonyms
Brumus maculatus Pope, 1954: 127.
Brumoides maculatus: Slipinski and Giorgi 2006: 268.
Diagnosis
This species is easily distinguished from B. piae by its larger size, appendiculate tarsal claws and separate lateral maculae on the elytra.
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Description
Length 3.3-3.5 mm. Surface predominantly yellowish; each elytron with 3 brownish maculae; a slightly transverse basal lateral one, a post-median transverse one, constricted medially or completely divided in some specimens, and a small rounded one at apical fifth of elytra. Body slightly elongate and flattened. Head flat between eyes; micro reticulate between punctures; punctation smaller than eye facets, nearly 2.5 diameters apart. Eyes dorsally separated by about 3 times the width of an eye; inner ocular margin conspicuously diverging apically. Antenna with scape symmetrical, slightly larger at apex; pedicel barrel-shaped, about as long as scape; antennomeres 3 and 4 very similar in size and shape, somewhat trapezoidal; 5th 1.5 times as long as 4; 6th 1.5 times as long as 5th; 7th somewhat conical in lateral view, slightly shorter than 6th; 8th partially embedded in the 7th. Terminal maxillary palpomere weakly securiform. Terminal labial palpomere robust, about 2 times as long as basal width; slightly shorter than preceding segment. Pronotal surface sculptured as on head; punctation almost obsolete, very shallow; prosternum relatively long in front of coxae, slightly more than 2 times longer than prosternal process widest width; tarsal claws distinctly appendiculate. Elytral punctation stronger than on pronotum; epipleura narrowing abruptly medially. Abdomen with ventrite 6 slightly emarginate at apex; 5th wider than 4th; surface of ventrite 1 micro sculptured between postcoxal lines; postcoxal line almost reaching midpoint of lateral line. T
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Male
Tegmen relatively short about 1/2 the abdomen length; penis guide distinctly shorter than parameres; parameres densely setose at apex, the setae long; strut long, about 1.5 longer than tegmen; penis as figured.
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Female
Externally identical to male.
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Variation
Not observed.
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Distribution and Biology
Widely distributed along the coast of Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland, west to Cape York.
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Species References
Pope, R. D. 1954. Coleoptera: Coccinellidae from the Monte Bello Islands, 1952. Proceedings of the Linnaean Society of London, 165, (1): 127.
Slipinski, S.A. 2007. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) their biology and classification. ABRS, Canberra. 286 pp.
Slipinski, A. and Giorgi, J.A. 2006. Revision of the Australian Coccinellidae (Coccinellidae). Part 6. Tribe Chilocorini. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 56(2): 265-304.
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