Synonyms
Hypoceras Chapuis 1876: 225. TS: Hypoceras mulsanti Chapuis, 1876.
Diagnosis
The single known species of this genus bears no apparent similarities to any other Australian ladybird species, but it has commonly been mixed with Trichorcus Blackburn, due to a lack of a proper description of the latter. Trichorcus clearly belongs in Chilocorini and has 10-segmented antenna with insertion placed under distinct shelf.
Description
Length 2.5-3.5 mm. Body small to medium sized; head partially withdrawn into prothorax, hypognathous; body round and distinctly convex; dorsum uniformly hairy. Elytral colour slightly metallic dark blue with orange borders, head and pronotum orange. Head transverse; eyes finely facetted, not emarginate. Antenna 9-segmented; much shorter than head capsule with enlarged pedicel; antennal club weak, 4-segmented. Terminal maxillary palpomere expanded apically. Pronotal disc evenly convex. Prosternum very short in front of coxae; prosternal process narrow without carinae. Anterior margin of mesoventrite straight medially. Mesoventrite narrower than coxal diameter; Metaventral postcoxal lines recurved. Elytral epipleuron broad, strongly descending, complete apically, not foveate. Tibial spurs absent. Abdominal postcoxal line not recurved and merging with hind margin of ventrite. Male terminalia. Parameres and phallobase symmetrical; penis guide symmetrical. Parameres articulated with phallobase. Penis stout, consisting of single sclerite; basal capsule distinct and T-shaped. Apodeme of male sternum 9 very narrow and rod-like. Female terminalia. Coxities broad plates; styli absent; infundibulum horn-like, with sperm duct originating at its base; sperm duct simple, uniform in diameter. Spermatheca worm-like, without clear ramus or nodulus; spermathecal accessory gland distinctly separated from sperm duct.
Distribution and Biology
This monotypic genus is endemic to Australia and is only known from Northern Queensland, mostly around Cairns. Adults have been collected from Malaise traps in rainforest and on Macaranga flowers.
Genus References
Chapuis, M. F. 1876. Famille des Érotyliens, des Endomychides et des Coccinellides, In: T. Lacordaire and F. Chapuis (Eds). Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Genera des Coléoptères ou exposé méthodique et critique de tous les genres proposés jusqu'ici dans cet ordre d'insectes. Tome Douzième. Roret, Paris. 424 pp.
Slipinski, S.A. 2007. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) their biology and classification. ABRS, Canberra. 286 pp.
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