Cheilomenes sexmaculata

Cheilomenes sexmaculata is a species of ladybird. Although sometimes known by the common name of six-spotted zigzag ladybird, this is misleading as there are several colour morphs and some colour morphs of the species can be confused with Micraspis discolor and Chilocorus nigrita. The species has a wide distribution range within the Asian tropics and subtropical zones from India to Japan and parts of the Australian region. They have been introduced into the Caribbean islands as a biocontrol agent and their spread to South America was noted in 2019.[1] It is well known as a predator of aphids and other small insects.

Cheilomenes sexmaculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Coccinellidae
Genus:
Cheilomenes
Species:
C. sexmaculata
Binomial name
Cheilomenes sexmaculata
Fabricius, 1781

Description

This small beetle is about 3 to 4 mm in body length. Body color varies from yellow to canary yellow. Elytra black.[2]

Biology

It is a voracious predator on several whiteflies and aphids such as Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae, Aphis craccivora, Amrasca, Empoasca and Leptocentrus. In addition to them, it feeds on a wide prey range including, scale insects, and diaspids.[2]

Genetics

The elytral colour has been identified as being controlled by two genes with two alleles each U-u and D-d and the phenotypes have been grouped into varieties quadriplagiata (“Q”) [UUDD,UUDd,UuDD,UuDd]; unifasciata (“U”) [Uudd,UUdd]; diversijunata (“D”) [uuDD,uuDd] and sexmaculata (“S”) [uudd]. The darker forms predominate in higher latitudes where absorption of heat may aid their survival.[3][4][5]

Life cycle
Pupa of Cheilomenes sexmaculata

References
  1. Assour, H R; Behm, J E (2019-05-28). "First Occurrence of Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on the Caribbean Island of Curaçao". Neotropical Entomology. 48 (5): 863–865. doi:10.1007/s13744-019-00699-0. ISSN 1519-566X. PMID 31140148.
  2. "Predatory Coccinellids (Coleoptera: Cocinellidae) of vegetable insect pests: a survey in mid country of Sri Lanka" (PDF). Tropical Agricultural Research Vol: 19, 69-77 (2007). Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  3. Kawakami, Yasuko; Yamazaki, Kazuo; Ohashi, Kazunori (2013). "Geographical variations of elytral color polymorphism in Cheilomenes sexmaculata(Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". Entomological Science. 16 (2): 235–242. doi:10.1111/ens.12005.
  4. Sasaji, H (1998). "The heredity and the problems of elytral color polymorphism in Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae)". In Sasaji, H (ed.). Natural History of the Ladybirds (in Japanese). Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press. pp. 168–175.
  5. Matsuka M; Sato Y; Niijima K (1985). "The heredity of elytral color polymorphism in Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture Tamagawa University (in Japanese). 25: 91–97.
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