Telsimia rossiSlipinski, Pang and Pope
Updated November 2005.

Synonyms
Telsimia rossi Slipinski, Pang and Pope, 2005: 254.

Diagnosis
Among the small species with sparsely punctured lateral pronotal margins, rossi is easily distinguished by the pattern of the elytral pubescence, and the short, broad frons

Description
Length 1.4-1.5 mm. Shortly oval, convex, broadest at middle; entirely black above with faint, greenish-metallic reflection; underside black or pitchy-black, sometimes with legs lighter in colour. Head between eyes as long as greatest width, frons widened from base of clypeus to vertex; frontal punctures slightly larger than eye facets, mostly separated by 1 diameter or less, intervals smooth, pubescence sparse, fine, not obscuring surface. Pronotum with anterior border arcuate medially, sinuate laterally toward forwardly-produced, very briefly rounded anterior angles; punctures of disc and margins only a little larger than those of frons, separated by 1 diameter or less; most setae forwardly directed and of one length. Elytra as long as greatest combined breadth; external margins not explanate to narrow external borders; punctures of disc and margins slightly larger than those of pronotum, separated for the most part by 1 diameter; intervals smooth, pubescence suberect, of 2 lengths and directionally arranged in a distinctive pattern. Prosternal process 0.5 as broad as base of mesosternum, punctures of process small, shallow, sometimes separated on disc by several diameters; mesoventral punctures small, sparse, separated by 3 diameters, intervals smooth; metaventrite without a longitudinal median sulcus, punctures of disc smaller than those of mesoventrite, separation variable, but often by 2 diameters, punctures toward lateral borders and behind mid-coxae similar in size to those of disc, but somewhat more closely set, intervals roughened toward lateral borders; abdomen with postcoxal plates of 1st ventrite recurved; punctures between coxae mostly small and sparse, a few, much larger punctures also present; 5th ventrite almost as long in midline as ventrites 2-4 together, hind border slightly ogival.

Male
Unknown.

Female
Tarsal claws very shallowly appendiculate.

Variation
Not observed.

distribution map for rossiDistribution and Biology
Known from few localities in northern Queensland. Biology and larvae unknown.

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

Species References
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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