PooraniSlipinski
Updated September 2007.

Synonyms
Poorani Slipinski, 2007: 135. TS: Poorani serrata Slipinski, 2007.

Diagnosis
Poorani can be confused with Robert that occurs sympatrically due to their small size, brown colour and similar body shape. However, ventrally they are very different and the large and fused antennal club, prominent chin-piece on prosternum, 3-segmented tarsi and crenulate hind margin of the last abdominal ventrite will separate Poorani immediately from all known small "Rhyzobius-like" Australian Coccinellidae.

Description
Length 1.4-2.0 mm. Body elongate and moderately to strongly convex; wingless; dorsum uniformly hairy. head exposed. Dorsum brown or blackish without distinct markings. Head transverse with eyes coarsely facetted and distinctly emarginate, broadly separated. Antennal insertion under distinct ridge, 10-segmented; slightly shorter than head capsule with scape normal; antennal club large 4-segmented, partially fused. Terminal maxillary palpomere securiform. Pronotal disc evenly convex with complete lateral borders. Prothoracic hypomeron without fovea near anterior angles; prosternum long in front of coxae, strongly prominent and arcuate medially forming chin piece; prosternal process narrow, without carinae. Anterior margin of mesoventrite weakly emarginate medially. Elytral epipleuron narrow, incomplete at apex, not foveate. Protibia not angulated externally. Tarsi 3-segmented. Tibial spurs formula 0-2-2. Abdominal postcoxal line recurved and complete; male with 5th without setose areas; hind margin distinctly crenulate. Male terminalia. Penis guide symmetrical. Parameres articulated with phallobase. Penis stout, consisting of single sclerite; basal capsule distinct and T-shaped. Apodeme of male sternum 9 very narrow and rod-like. Female terminalia. Coxities triangular, about as long as broad; styli strongly reduced and hardly visible; infundibulum absent; sperm duct simple, uniform in diameter. Spermatheca worm-like, without clear ramus or nodulus; spermathecal accessory gland distinctly separated from sperm duct.

Distribution and Biology
Endemic to northern Queensland. Adutls have been extracted from forest litter or collected in flight intercept traps in rainforest habitats.

Genus References
Slipinski, S.A. 2007. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) their biology and classification. ABRS, Canberra. 286 pp.

[ Top ]