Lady beetles of Puerto Rico (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

This work presents accounts and illustrations of the lady beetle species reported from Puerto Rico. Fifty-three species are discussed, including rare and uncommon lady beetles occurring on the Puerto Rican archipelago. The work also includes keys for subfamilies and species, the description of a new species (Zilus barbosi sp. nov.), and a redescription of Diomus ochroderus (Mulsant). Brief accounts of the history of coccinellid collections and collectors, and of classical bio-control efforts in Puerto Rico are given, including an annotated list of 24 historical biological control introductions.

Reproductive Interference between Native and Introduced Lady Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Puerto Rico

“…This creates opportunities for interspecific interactions to occur between the two species. Here I report previously undescribed intergeneric mating attempts (a type of reproductive interference) occurring in nature between these two species and also between the native and Olla v-nigrum (Mulsant), whose presence in Puerto Rico is of uncertain origin (Segarra-Carmona et al 2021). Two observations were recorded photographically in 2008 and extended for two to four minutes.…”

“…Species in the genus Hesperomyces have not yet been documented in Puerto Rico, but H. axyridis, a prolific vector of Hesperomyces harmonia Haelew. & De Kesel, has been suspected to be in the island since 2014 and was confirmed in 2017 (Hiller and Haelwaters 2019;Segarra-Carmona et al 2021). Furthermore, Hesperomyces virescens Thaxter has been reported from most of the world, affecting 30 species of lady beetles including C. sanguinea and O. v. nigrum.…”

“…Because of their diet, they are widely used as biocontrol agents in diverse ecosystems from agricultural to forests (Obrycki and Kring 1998;Tavares et al 2014). In Puerto Rico, the lady beetle fauna consists of 53 described species, seven of which have been introduced as biological control agents (Segarra-Carmona et al 2021). Introduced and native lady beetles sometimes exploit similar prey; therefore, their habitats can overlap.…”

“…2014). In Puerto Rico, the lady beetle fauna consists of 53 described species, seven of which have been introduced as biological control agents (Segarra-Carmona et al . 2021).…”

“…The two apparent female species discussed here are good examples of this. In Puerto Rico, the two orange-spotted black morph of O. v-nigrum is reported almost exclusively (Segarra-Carmona et al . 2021), but the species has another four known and greatly contrasting morphs that vary not only in spot patterns but also in background color.…”