Synonyms
Halmus viridis Slipinski and Giorgi, 2006: 279.
Diagnosis
The elongate, somewhat flattened body in combination with the metallic greenish coloration, long prosternum and recurving postcoxal line distinguish this species from the other Halmus.
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Description
Length 3.7-3.9 mm. Male. Body metallic greenish; epipleura, coxae, tarsi and last 3-4 last abdominal ventrites brownish. Body elongate, somewhat flattened. Head micro reticulate between punctures; punctation about as large as eye facets, nearly 1.5 diameters apart. Eyes dorsally separated by slightly more than 2 times the width of an eye; inner ocular margin diverging apically. Antennomeres 5, 6 and 7 about the same length. Clypeus distinctly emarginate medially, with lateral extension markedly narrow. Terminal maxillary palpomere securiform; terminal labial palpomere conical; less than 2 times longer than basal width; distinctly shorter than the preceding segment. Pronotal surface polished between punctures on disc, micro sculptured on anterior angles, the micro sculpture somewhat rugose; punctation smaller than eye facets, shallower than on head, approximately 1.5 to 2 diameters apart, obsolete at anterior angles; lateral borders slightly rounded; prosternum relatively long in front of coxae, slightly more than 2 times longer than prosternal process widest width. Elytral surface polished between punctures; punctation stronger than on pronotum, about as large as to larger than eye facets, slightly deeper; lateral margin slightly reflexed. Abdomen with ventrite 6 relatively conspicuous, broadly emarginate at apex; surface of ventrite 1 polished between punctures; postcoxal line recurving apically, the line fairly distant from the posterior margin.
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Male
Tegmen relatively short, about 1/2 the abdomen length; penis guide symmetrical, distinctly longer than parameres; parameres densely setose at apex, the setae long; strut slightly shorter than tegmen; penis as figured.
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Female
Female externally similar to male except having the ventrite 6 truncate at apex.
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Variation
Unknown.
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Distribution and Biology
This species seems to be confined to the Snowy Mountains and adjacent areas of New South Wales.
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Species References
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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