Synonyms
Lipernes subviridis Blackburn, 1892: 72.
Diagnosis
This species that can only be reliably identified using male genitalia, especially a very characteristic, darted tip of penis
Description
Length 1.4-1.85 mm. Shortly oval, convex, entirely black above or with a greenish-metallic reflection; underside black, legs and mouthparts sometimes slightly paler-coloured. Head between eyes strongly widened toward vertex, breadth across vertex 1.5 times greater than median length; punctures under oblique lighting slightly larger than eye facets and separated by 1 diameter or less, intervals smooth, pubescence sparse, subrecumbent, mostly forwardly directed, not obscuring surface. Pronotum with anterior border strongly arcuate medially, distance between anterior angles 0.7 that between hind angles; lateral borders arcuately convergent from posterior to anterior angles; discal punctures under oblique lighting slightly larger than those of frons and separated by 1 diameter or more, intervals smooth; lateral margins not explanate, punctures varying in size anterolaterally where they become twice as large as discal punctures and separated by less than 0.5 diameter; subrecumbent setae laterally directed on lateral margins, pointing forward on most of disc, laterally directed on either side of anterior third of midline. Elytra quadrate, broadest at one third from bases, external margins not explanate to narrowly reflexed external borders; punctures of disc and margins similar to those of pronotal disc, separated by 1 diameter or more, intervals smooth; setae of 2 lengths, suberect and variably directed to form a whorled patter. Prosternum with apex of intercoxal process 0.5 times as broad as hind border of mesoventrite, punctures usually small and sparse on disc, sometimes larger toward lateral borders; mesoventrite with hind border slightly backwardly angled medially, punctures much larger than those of prosternal process, usually separated by 0.5 diameter, intervals smooth; metaventral punctures much smaller and shallower than those of mesoventrite, even near anterior border and behind middle coxae, intervals smooth on disc, rugulose near anterolateral angles, midline with a narrow impression. Abdomen with postcoxal plates of 1st ventrite arcuate or slightly angled externally, punctures between hind coxae smaller than those of metasternum, separated by from 1 to 2 or more diameters
Male
Abdominal ventrite 5 as long as ventrites 2-4 together, apical border flattened medially, disc often with a large, shallow depression, punctures generally smaller than those of ventrite 4, intervals with transverse microreticulation, at least over apical third of ventrite; punctures across discs of ventrites 3 and 4 not reduced to a single row on each. Legs with tarsal claws bifid. Male genitalia as illustrated.
Female
Apical border of 5th abdominal ventrite evenly rounded and all tarsal claws shallowly appendiculate.
Variation
Not observed.
Distribution and Biology
Southern Queensland to Victoria. Label data shows a definite association with scale insects on various host plants: Eriococcus ironsidei Williams (Eriococcidae) on Macadamia integrifolia. Some of the specimens from Brisbane were reared on diaspid scales, specifically on Aspidiotus nerii Bouche. Other prey records include Asterolecanium sp. (Asterolecaniidae), Chrysomphalus sp. (Diaspididae), 'Red scale on citrus' and Lepidosaphes beckii (Newman) (Diaspididae) on citrus.
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Species References
Blackburn, T. 1892. Further notes on Australian Coleoptera, with descriptions of new genera and species XI. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 15: 20-73.
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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