Coelophora inaequalis Fabricius
Creators: name: Nattier, Romain
name: Jourdan, Hervé
name: Mille, Christian
name: Chazeau, Jean
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Coccinellidae
Coelophora
Coelophora inaequalis

description: Coelophora inaequalis (Fabricius)
Coccinella inaequalis Fabricius, 1775: 80.
Coccinella circularis Thunberg, 1820: 365 —synonymized by Pope 1987: 54. Lemnia desolata Mulsant, 1850: 387 —synonymized by Houston 1979: 49. Coccinella bicruciata Montrouzier, 1861:304 (pars)—synonymized by Fauvel 1903: 328. Verania artensis Montrouzier, 1861:305 —synonymized by Chazeau 1978: 59. Coelophora ripponi Crotch, 1874: 156 —synonymized by Iablokoff-Khnzorian 1979: 61. Coelophora mastersi Blackburn, 1892: 238 —synonymized by Houston 1979: 49. Coelophora inaequalis: Fauvel 1903: 327.
At first, this species was misidentified by Montrouzier who described it under two endemic species: Coccinella bicruciata and Verania artensis. According to Fauvel (1903), who examined the type series, Coelophora bicruciata (Montrouzier) was a mixture of Coelophora inaequalis and Micraspis frenata (Erichson) specimens. Verania artensis was subsequently synonymized by Chazeau (1978). Coelophora inaequalis is widespread from both coasts to high altitude (> 1,000m) on Grande Terre but also on Loyalty Islands and Isle of Pines. This species is widely distributed across Asia and the Pacific region (Australia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji Islands, Hawaii, Micronesia (Bonin, Marianna, Caroline, Wake, Marshall, Kiribati), Cook Islands, Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia); but also has been recorded from eastern North America. This is a polyphagous predator of hemipterous insects (Aphididae, Coccomorpha) from natural habitats to agricultural lands and disturbed areas. According to its geographic range and feeding biology, humans have probably spread this species during the first settlements. It is a well-known and largely promoted biocontrol agent against aphids (Wang & Tsai 2001).
Material examined. NEW CALEDONIA: Bac de la Ouaïème, 17.iv.1986 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Bourail, 10.iii.1986 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); from La Foa to Canala, ii.1907 (Le Rat rec.) (ONNC); Goro, 12.viii.1985 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Hienghène, 18.xi.1958 (M. Ogata rec.) (ONNC); Houaïlou, 7.iii.1982 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Isle of Pines, airport, 24.viii.1988 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Iles Loyauté, Lifou; Iles Loyauté, Maré; Koumac, 10.iii.1986 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Koumac, 26.viii.1986 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Koumac, 27.viii.1986 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Mt Do, 1000 m, 4.xi.1992 (J. Chazeau & D. Webb rec.) (ONNC); Nouméa, Anse Vata, 25.ii.1977 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Nouméa, Anse Vata, 10.iii.1977 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Nouméa, Anse Vata, 3.x.1977 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Nouméa, IFO, 4.i.1964; Nouméa, IFO, 13.i.1965; Nouméa, OuenToro, vii.1966 (J. Fainika rec.) (ONNC); Nouméa, Baie des Citrons, 27.vi.1978 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Nouméa, Trianon, 20.iv.1964 (J. Gutierrez rec.) (ONNC); Nouméa, vi, vii, xi.1955; Nouméa, ix.1964; Pouembout, 17.ix.1975 (J. Gutierrez rec.) (ONNC); Pindai, 6.xi.1992 (D. Webb rec.) (ONNC); La Foa-Canala Road, i.1958; Thio, 27.vi.1983 (L. Bonnet de Larbogne, E. Bouyé, J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Thio Ouroué, 5.i.1982 (J. Chazeau rec.) (ONNC); Ile longue, Chesterfield islands, xi.2012 (E. Bourguet et H. Jourdan rec.) (ONNC); La Foa, Pocquereux, 21°44’S / 165°54’E / 28m, 10.ix.2001 (S. Cazères rec.) (CXMNC); La Foa, Pocquereux, 21°44’S / 165°54’E / 28m, 20.iv.2001 (J. Brinon rec.) (CXMNC); La Foa, Pocquereux, 16.xi.1997 (CXMNC); Bourail, Gouaro, 21°36’S / 165°28’E / 68m, 04.iv.2001 (S. Cazères rec.) (CXMNC); Farino, Tendéa, 21.61928°S / 165.70907°E / 403m, 29.iv.2004 (S. Cazères rec.) (CXMNC); Houaïlou, Néoua, 13.iv.2013 (C. Mille rec.) (CXMNC); Pouembout chez M. Soury-Lavergne, COL /ins/255-14, 01.viii.2014 (C. Mille rec.) (CXMNC); Poya, Beaupré chez M. Mezdorf, 21°205’S/ 165°09’E, 22.vi.2001 (R. Guiglion rec.) (CXMNC); Maré, La Roche, 16.iv.2004 (C. Mille rec.) (CXMNC).
description: Published as part of Nattier, Romain, Jourdan, Hervé, Mille, Christian & Chazeau, Jean, 2015, An annotated checklist of the Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) from New Caledonia, pp. 301-331 in Zootaxa 4058 (3) on page 305, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4058.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/236980