Nephus bielawskii ( Fürsch, 1965 )

Nephus bielawskii ( Fürsch, 1965)

Figs 2a–h

Scymnus ( Nephus) bielawskii Fürsch, 1965: 192

Nephus ( Geminosipho) bielawskii : Kovář 2007: 580

Material examined. Pakistan, Punjab, Chakwal, Khajula Dam Area , 32°45’18” N, 72°59’5” E, 785 m, 1♂, 28.x.2015, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR) GoogleMaps ; Rawalpindi, Taxila (Gangu Jamma), 33°44’20” N, 72°51’18” E, 559 m, 1♂, 2.ix.2016, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR) GoogleMaps ; Neela Sandh , 33°39’38” N, 73°23’3” E, 692 m, 1♂, 13.iv.2017, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Nephus bielawskii is similar to N. eurypodus , in general body appearance, but it can easily be separated by having pronotum with reddish-brown lateral sides, only discal area dark brown to black ( Figs 2a–b), and penis tip with long flagellum ( Fig. 2f). However, in N. eurypodus pronotum is dark brown to black ( Figs 4a–c), and penis tip bifid with thread-like membranous appendage ( Fig. 4g).

Description. TL: 1.67–1.71 mm; TW: 1.38–140 mm; TH: 0.80–0.81 mm; EL/TW: 1.01–1.02; TL/TW: 1.21– 1.22; HW/PW: 0.62–0.63; PL/PW: 0.41–0.42.

Body oval, weakly convex, dorsum with dense white pubescence; head yellow-brown, mouthparts and antennae brown ( Fig. 2b); pronotum black with reddish-brown lateral margins; elytra black with yellow to yellow-brown large subquadrate apical spots ( Fig. 2a); antennae composed of 10 antennomeres ( Fig. 2d); abdominal postcoxal line incomplete on ventrite 1 slightly curved apically ( Fig. 2c).

Male genitalia ( Figs 2e–h). Penis stout and long; penis capsule with long inner arm and indistinct outer one ( Fig. 2e); apex of penis slightly curved with long flagellum-like membranous appendage ( Fig. 2f); tegmen stout with penis guide in lateral view wider at base, gradually tapering to pointed apex ( Fig. 2g); penis guide in inner view parallel-sided at the base and converging toward pointed apex ( Fig. 2h); parameres stout with basal parts curved, as long as penis guide ( Fig. 2g).

Female genitalia. Not studied.

Prey. Nephus bielawskii feeds on Paracoccus marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink ( Hemiptera : Pseudococcidae ) and Euphyllura sp. ( Hemiptera : Psyllidae ) (First record for both these prey).

Associated plants. Nephus ( Geminosipho) bielawskii has been collected on Brassicales : Caricaceae : Carica papaya Linnaeus ; Lamiales : Oleaceae : Olea ferruginea Royle.

Distribution. Pakistan: Punjab: Rawalpindi, Chakwal (current study); Afghanistan; Iran ( Fürsch 1965; Kovář 2007). A new species record for Pakistan.

Remarks. This species was originally described and illustrated by Fürsch (1965) from Afghanistan within the Nephus bipunctatus species group. This species is rarely collected in Pakistan.