Telsimia gibbosa(Blackburn)
Updated December 2005.

Synonyms
Lipernes gibbosus Blackburn, 1895: 240.

Diagnosis
The only other Queensland species with so shortly-oval outline is the much smaller T. rotunda, from which gibbosa is also separated by the very large, closely packed punctures on the lateral margins of the pronotum.

Description
Length 1.4-1.7mm. Very briefly oval, strongly convex, broadest at or very slightly before middle; entirely black above except for dark testaceous antennae and mouthparts; underside and legs black to pitchy, tarsi lighter. Head between eyes quadrate, scarcely broadened from base of clypeus to vertex, punctures of frons a little larger than eye facets, separated by 0.5-0.8 diameter, partly obscured by pubescence. Pronotum with anterior border strongly arcuate medially, distance between anterior angles 0.6 that between hind angles; lateral borders arcuately and evenly convergent from sharply formed but obtuse posterior to narrowly rounded anterior angles; lateral margins not explanate; discal punctures larger than those of frons, mostly separated by 0.5 of their diameter, punctures on lateral margins much larger than those of disc, usually separated by less then half of their diameter; intervals smooth; pubescence subrecumbent, partly forwardly directed, partly laterally, forming a symmetrical pattern. Elytra broadest at one-fourth from bases, external margins not explanate; discal and marginal punctures similar to or slightly larger than those of pronotal disc, variably separated but often by 1 diameter; pubescence suberect, setae of almost uniform length, curved and directed to form a whorled, symmetrical pattern. Prosternum with apex of intercoxal process 0.6 times basal mesoventral width, surface of process with large, shallow punctures, more obvious anteriorly and laterally, usually separated by 1 diameter, intervals mostly smooth, somewhat rugulose at apical margin; mesoventrite with hind border straight across middle, with punctures at least as large as those of prosternum, separated by 0.5 diameter, intervals smooth; most metaventral punctures as large and as close-set as those of mesoventrite, sometimes much smaller and shallower on either side of longitudinal median impression. Abdomen with postcoxal plates of 1st ventrite angled externally, punctures between coxae mostly smaller than those of metasternum and separated by 1 diameter; median length of 5th ventrite slightly larger than ventrites 2-4 together, discal punctures small, separated by 1 diameter, punctures larger and closer anterolaterally, discal intervals smooth, apical third roughly but finely and transversely rugulose; punctures across middle of ventrites 2-4 not reduced to a single row on each.

Male
Legs with tarsal claws bifid, those of anterior legs with inner teeth broad. Male genitalia as illustrated.

Female
Differs from male only in that the tarsal claws are all shallowly appendiculate.

Variation
Not observed.

distribution map for gibbosaDistribution and Biology
Known from Queensland only. Biology and larvae unknown.

Click on map for larger version (use the bowser 'back arrow' to return to this page).

Species References
Blackburn, T. 1895. Further notes on Australian Coleoptera, with descriptions of new genera and species. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 19: 201-258.

Slipinski, A., H. Pang, R. Pope, 2005. Revision of the Australian Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). Part 4. Tribe telsimiini. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 55: 243-269.

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