Cream-spotted Lady Beetle - Calvia quatuordecimguttata

What do you guys think

of this new post

… john and jane balaban, 22 August, 2015 - 7:27pm

Moved

Moved from Ladybird Beetles.

… Tim Moyer, 20 October, 2008 - 11:54am

Thanks for ironing this out.

… Rich Kelly, 20 October, 2008 - 3:10pm

Moved

Moved from Beetles.

… john and jane balaban, 1 August, 2008 - 3:40pm

Not sure.

I would look at Hyperaspis before the other two genera, though.

… Eric R. Eaton, 9 July, 2008 - 3:32pm

it looks a bit too large and too smooth/impuntate for a Hyperaspis; they tend to have some pronotal coloration. I'd like to hear some serendipitous ideas on this one.

… v belov, 9 July, 2008 - 4:01pm

Just looked in the Kaufman gu

Just looked in the Kaufman guide, and it looks a lot like a color variation of an Ashy Gray Lady Beetle - Olla v-nigrum. Page 159. Any third or fourth thoughts on that?

… Bill Johnson, 9 July, 2008 - 9:21pm

olla has white pronotal margins

and differently shaped red spots.

… v belov, 9 July, 2008 - 9:36pm

vote for Calvia,

it has the required polished dorsal surface, 4-6mm, general overall shape, explanate elytron, and pattern matches well one of Gordon's (10!) figures, including completely black pronotum. If you still have it, Gordon claims this is the only NAmer genus with at least traces of alutaceous sculpture on the pronotum.

… Tim Moyer, 10 July, 2008 - 4:01pm

Thanks for your help. Who wo

Thanks for your help. Who would have thought there would be so much interest in this little guy? I still have the specimen and will be sending it to a friend in FL who has lots of experience with beetles.

… Rich Kelly, 10 July, 2008 - 5:23pm

updates

please keep us all updated on any expert determinations. I am but a very inexperienced amature, with an expert's excellent book.

but if you do get a chance prior to sending it off, please shoot a frontal head & pronotum shot, to better document any pale areas (including their absence). If this is Calvia, we currently don't have any other images of this coloration pattern. A quick web search for this pattern came up empty also.

… Tim Moyer, 10 July, 2008 - 8:57pm

By chance I found this old exchange, and since the specimen

came to me (in 2008!), I thought I would respond. It IS indeed Calvia quatuordecimguttata, based on the complete absence of alutaceous microsculpture on the pronotum, and agreement with other details of Gordon's description of the genus.
The margins of the pronotum of this individual are narrowly pale from the middle of the lateral margin to about half way to the middle of the anterior margin. There is also a fine median line extending from the anterior margin to about the middle of the disk. The mouthparts, too, are pale.

… Skip Blanchard, 22 August, 2015 - 7:54am

Demonstrates the value of spe

Demonstrates the value of specimens. Thanks for the follow up.

… Rich Kelly, 22 August, 2015 - 8:22am

Thanks Skip

and BG still doesn't have another example exactly like this one (although this male is getting close)

… Tim Moyer, 22 August, 2015 - 7:25pm

I couldn't get a good shot of

I couldn't get a good shot of something this small and dark. Anyway the specimen is on its way to FL, and there are no pale areas on the head or pronotum.
It reminds me of drawing "d" on Page 778 of the Journal of the NY Entomological Society, Vol. 93, No. 1.

… Rich Kelly, 14 July, 2008 - 9:05am

very instructive, thnx!

… v belov, 10 July, 2008 - 4:06pm