Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Hippodamia parenthesis - Parenthesis Lady Beetle

Parenthesis Lady Beetle - Hippodamia parenthesis Coccinellidae: Hippodamia parenthesis? - Hippodamia parenthesis Hippodamia parenthesis (Say) - Hippodamia parenthesis Parenthesis lady beetle - Hippodamia parenthesis H. parenthesis? - Hippodamia parenthesis Lady Beetle with Unusual Pattern 2 - Hippodamia parenthesis Hippodamia parenthesis Pennsylvania Beetle  - Hippodamia parenthesis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Coccinelloidea
No Taxon (Coccinellid group)
Family Coccinellidae (Lady Beetles)
Subfamily Coccinellinae
Genus Hippodamia
Species parenthesis (Parenthesis Lady Beetle)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Hippodamia parenthesis (Say)
Orig. Comb: Coccinella parenthesis Say, 1824
Size
Length 3.75 to 5.6 mm (1)
Identification
last three key couplets per Gordon (1985):
Pronotum with pale median spot at base
Apex of elytron with sutural margin never black
Tarsal claw with tooth closely oppressed (1)
Range
widely dist., except se US and northern Pacific coast - Map (1)
See Also
According to Gordon (1), H. parenthesis west of the Mississippi is easily confused with H. lunatomaculata.
The tarsal claws must be examined with the tooth being "closely appressed" on H. parenthesis. East of Mississippi, no confusion.
Also, H. apicalis and H. expurgata can appear to have similar elytra markings, but H. parenthesis never has apical suture of elytron black.(1)
Works Cited
1.The Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) of America North of Mexico
Robert D. Gordon. 1985. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. 93, No. 1.