Scymnus ( Pullus ) howdeni Gordon, 1976

Nestor-Arriola, Jorge I., Clark, Shawn M. & Niño-Maldonado, Santiago, 2022, Taxonomic and Distributional Notes on the Genus Scymnus Kugelann, 1794 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Mexico, The Coleopterists Bulletin 76 (3), pp. 299-328 : 321

Scymnus ( Pullus) howdeni Gordon, 1976 Figs. 66–68

Scymnus ( Pullus) howdeni Gordon 1976: 265 . Gordon 1985: 280.

Diagnosis: Length 2.1 to 2.3 mm; width 1.5 to 1.8 mm. Dorsal color black, except clypeus, lateral margins of pronotum and apical margin of elytra yellow to orange; ventral color black, except, legs, mouthparts, antennae and last two ventrites yellow to orange. Male first ventrite with small, central, asetose, triangular area, extending to apical margin; fifth ventrite emarginate, depressed; sixth ventrite emarginate, depressed, without punctures at central part, with prominent lateral angles. Male genitalia with lateral alae and membranous process on penis guide; apex of penis guide acute, not elongate ( Figs. 66, 67 ); penis with trifurcate apex slightly wider than rest of penis ( Fig. 68 ).

Material Examined: 11 specimens ( FIC) . HIDALGO: ( 1♂) Huazalingo ( FIC), ( 1♂) Huejutla ( FIC) . SAN LUIS POTOSÍ: ( 1♂) Rayón ( FIC) . TAMAULIPAS: ( 1♂) Casas ( FIC), ( 2♂) Gómez Farias ( FIC), ( 4♂) Reserva de la Biosfera “El Cielo” ( FIC), ( 1♂) Tula ( FIC) .

Distribution: North America ( Gordon 1976, 1985). New record for Mexico.

Biology: In Mexico, this species has been collected between 1,100 and 1,600 m altitude, and in the biomes of oak forest, mesophilic forest and Tamaulipan thorn scrub.

Figures

Figs. 63–68. Scymnus spp., male genitalia (figures are not to same scale). S. horni: 63) Tegmen, lateral view; 64) Tegmen, ventral view; 65) Penis. S. howdeni: 66) Tegmen, lateral view; 67) Tegmen, ventral view; 68) Penis.