Hyperaspis

Neat bug...

I suppose this is likely a new species then?

… James Bailey, 10 October, 2015 - 5:00pm

certainly unique in North America

I think it's most likely to be a Mexican species that's starting to extend its range northward, but that has not yet established itself here.

Is it a new species for Mexico? Or is it just that our BG coccinellidologists aren't as familiar with known Mexican species? We've all been held back by the lack of a thorough, key-based resource for Mexican coccinellids.

Any further research, or access to collections of Mexican insects, would go far here.

I've been hoping to see more photos or specimens by now. It's been several years since this individual was collected, and it's been well-publicized in the coleopterist community. Any photo by Mike Quinn of a specimen at TAMU gets around quickly! It's such an attractive beetle, and it's in a highly-collected location; I think we'd all know if it turned up again. I know people who've gone on collecting trips specifically to look for it, with no success.

… Abigail Parker, 22 January, 2016 - 7:02pm

I actually found a series of spmns of this sp. in the OSUC

I visited the Tripehorn OSUC collection last summer and shot a series of spmns that I haven't posted here yet...

… Mike Quinn, 23 January, 2016 - 11:18pm

awesome!

I hadn't been aware of that. Glad it's not an isolated specimen.

… Abigail Parker, 24 January, 2016 - 3:31pm

there's a series of spmns in the TAMU & OSUC

both series from Hidalgo Co., OSUC spmns coll'ed 1950, '53 and '60.
Knull's spmns likely coll'ed in either Santa Ana NWR or in Bentsen-RGV SP.

… Mike Quinn, 25 January, 2016 - 9:48am

Moved

Moved from Brachiacantha.

… Mike Quinn, 27 April, 2015 - 11:11am

Moved

Moved from MAQ sp. 1.

… Mike Quinn, 27 April, 2015 - 11:09am

Moved

Moved from Hyperaspis.

… Mike Quinn, 14 January, 2015 - 4:30pm

Moved

Moved from Scymninae.

What a pretty beetle! It's a female, and there are only a few Hyperaspis groups where females have pale markings on the pronotum, so that will help narrow it down. I suspect she has reduced elytral maculation, the male might have a single large basal/humeral spot instead of the kidney-shaped basal markings and small lateral spot here.

… Abigail Parker, 3 March, 2010 - 10:54am

Comment per Ed Riley

.
"Nice! If a Hyperaspis, it is not a known Texas species. Possibly a Brachiacantha, but here too, it doesn’t quite match anything I know from Texas."
.

… Mike Quinn, 3 March, 2010 - 12:25pm

I was assuming Hyperaspis by the forelegs

I don't see a tibial spur, which is necessary and sufficient for Brachiacantha. If you still have the beetle, or have photos showing an entire foreleg, can you check for the spur? I'd definitely be bonking myself on the head if it was Brachiacantha :-)

My quick browse through Gordon didn't come up with anything obvious, but female Hyperaspidini and Brachiacanthini can have much more reduced markings than "typical" male specimens. I wouldn't look for a precise match to this individual's kidney-shaped basal markings as much as for very large basal/humeral maculae with matching apical maculation.

… Abigail Parker, 3 March, 2010 - 12:38pm

markings

The coloration along the elytra basal margin is what has me stumped - reminds me more of Brachiacantha, but I don't see anything that matches the rest of the markings.

If I had to guess Hyperaspis, H. octonotata fits much of what I see (and the location).

but, seeing spots - off to sleep

… Tim Moyer, 3 March, 2010 - 11:20pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… v belov, 3 March, 2010 - 3:53am

I will forward

this image to Dr. Robert Gordon and see what he thinks....

… Guy A. Hanley, 28 April, 2011 - 9:02am