Novius iceryae explained

Novius iceryae is a species of ladybird beetle native to Afrotropical realm, and was described from South Africa.^[1] It is also found in Senegal.^[2] In 1880, Novius iceryae was used to successfully control cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi in South Africa.^[3] It was later introduced in New Zealand for the management of cottony cushion scale.^[4] This and related species were formerly classified in the genus Rodolia.^[5]

Description

Novius iceryae is about 3-5 mm long with a shiny and hemispherical body and pubescent dorsal surface. The base of the elytra has a large semicircular blood-red spot, enclosing the scutellum. The head is concealed from above. It is also found in Senegal. Novius iceryae is similar to other species of the genus Novius, (e.g., Novius insularis, Novius occidentalis), but they can be separated separate one from another by the structure of their male genitalia.

Notes and References

1. Hounkpati K, Forrester JA, McHugh JV. 2019. Neotype designation for Rodolia iceryae Janson in Ormerod, 1887 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Zootaxa 4563 (2): 396‑400. DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4563.2.12.
2. Hounkpati K, McHugh JV, Niang AA, Goergen G. 2020. Documenting museum records of West African Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) in Benin and Senegal. Biodiversity Data Journal 8: e47340
3. Ormerod, E.A. (1887) Notes on the Australian bug (Icerya purchasi) in South Africa. With additional illustrations from S. Australia, and notes of history and treatment from government reports of the United States of America. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., London, 36 pp.
4. Ormerod EA, Janson OE. 1889. Notes and descriptions of a few injurious farm & fruit insects of South Africa. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., London, England, 126 pp.
5. Pang, H., Tang, X.-F., Booth, R.G., Vandenberg, N., Forrester, J., Mchugh, J., & Ślipiński, A. (2020) Revision of the Australian Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). Genus Novius Mulsant of Tribe Noviini. Annales Zoologici 70 (1):1–24. https://doi.org/10.3161/00034541ANZ2020.70.1.001