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Variability of elytral color patterns in Coccinellidae



Many ladybird species (Coccinellidae) exhibit a remarkable variability of elytral color patterns within one and the same species. Especially for newcomers, the determination of ladybirds can be complicated due to the variability of the species.

The polymorphism of numerous Coccinellid species, especially Adalia bipunctata, had been investigated extensively and the results have been published in numerous articles (cf. further readings). The correlation between color and chance of survival during hibernation, activity levels at different temperatures, reproductive success, but also environmental pollution has been investigated and described by a number of scientists.

On this page I'd like to introduce the most common types of color patterns of local Coccinellid species, especially in order to support newcomers in their determination efforts. While we're at it, I'd like to ask for your contribution: If you have made photos of types not yet available in this collection (ideal would be dorsal view), please kindly submit them (for my email address see imprint). I'll put them on this page together with a remark of your copyright.


Overview
Henosepilachna argus Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata Chilocorus bipustulatus Chilocorus renipustulatus Exochomus quadripustulatus Aphidecta obliterata Hippodamia tredecimpunctata Hippodamia variegata Hippodamia notata Hippodamia undecimnotata Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata Adalia conglomerata Adalia decempunctata Adalia bipunctata Coccinella hieroglyphica Coccinella septempunctata
Coccinella magnifica Coccinella quinquepunctata Coccinella undecimpunctata Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata Oenopia conglobata Harmonia quadripunctata Harmonia axyridis Myrrha octodecimguttata Sospita vigintiguttata Calvia decemguttata Calvia quatuordecimguttata Propylea quatuordecimpunctata Myzia oblongoguttata Anatis ocellata Halyzia sedecimguttata Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
Adalia bipunctata (6)
Adalia conglomerata (4)
Adalia decempunctata (16)
Anatis ocellata (5)
Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata (1)
Aphidecta obliterata (6)
Calvia decemguttata (2)
Calvia quatuordecimguttata (2)
Chilocorus bipustulatus (1)
Chilocorus renipustulatus (1)
Coccinella hieroglyphica (3)
Coccinella magnifica (1)
Coccinella quinquepunctata (3)
Coccinella septempunctata (3)
Coccinella undecimpunctata (2)
Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata (1)
Exochomus quadripustulatus (3)
Halyzia sedecimguttata (3)
Harmonia axyridis (32)
Harmonia quadripunctata (4)
Henosepilachna argus (1)
Hippodamia notata (3)
Hippodamia tredecimpunctata (2)
Hippodamia undecimnotata (1)
Hippodamia variegata (8)
Myrrha octodecimguttata (1)
Myzia oblongoguttata (2)
Oenopia conglobata (4)
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (12)
Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata (2)
Sospita vigintiguttata (2)
Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata (3)
Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata (2)


 Henosepilachna argus: back to top
Henosepilachna argus© Andreas Müller

 Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata: back to top
Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata© Ingrid Altmann Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata© Ingrid Altmann Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata© CB

 Chilocorus bipustulatus: back to top
Chilocorus bipustulatus© CB

 Chilocorus renipustulatus: back to top
Chilocorus renipustulatus© CB

 Exochomus quadripustulatus: back to top
Exochomus quadripustulatus© Arp Kruithof Exochomus quadripustulatus© CB Exochomus quadripustulatus© CB

 Aphidecta obliterata: back to top
Aphidecta obliterata© Ingrid Altmann Aphidecta obliterata© CB Aphidecta obliterata© CB Aphidecta obliterata© Ingrid Altmann Aphidecta obliterata© CB
Aphidecta obliterata© Arp Kruithof

 Hippodamia tredecimpunctata: back to top
Hippodamia tredecimpunctata© CB Hippodamia tredecimpunctata© CB

 Hippodamia variegata: back to top
Hippodamia variegata© CB Hippodamia variegata© Andreas Müller Hippodamia variegata© Arp Kruithof Hippodamia variegata© Kirsten Eta Hippodamia variegata© CB
Hippodamia variegata© CB Hippodamia variegata© Arp Kruithof Hippodamia variegata© Kirsten Eta

 Hippodamia notata: back to top
Hippodamia notata© CB Hippodamia notata© Ingrid Altmann Hippodamia notata© CB

 Hippodamia undecimnotata: back to top
Hippodamia undecimnotata© CB

 Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata: back to top
Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata© CB

 Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata: back to top
Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata© CB Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata© Ingrid Altmann

 Adalia conglomerata: back to top
Adalia conglomerata© CB Adalia conglomerata© Eugen Dietz Adalia conglomerata© CB Adalia conglomerata© CB

 Adalia decempunctata: back to top
Adalia decempunctata© Ingrid Altmann Adalia decempunctata© Jürgen Peters Adalia decempunctata© CB Adalia decempunctata© Jürgen Peters Adalia decempunctata© Arp Kruithof
Adalia decempunctata© CB Adalia decempunctata© Ingrid Altmann Adalia decempunctata© Ingrid Altmann Adalia decempunctata© Jörg Pageler Adalia decempunctata© Jürgen Peters
Adalia decempunctata© Jörg Pageler Adalia decempunctata© CB Adalia decempunctata© Ingrid Altmann Adalia decempunctata© CB Adalia decempunctata© CB
Adalia decempunctata© Ingrid Altmann

 Adalia bipunctata: back to top
Adalia bipunctata© CB Adalia bipunctata© Arp Kruithof Adalia bipunctata© Arp Kruithof Adalia bipunctata© CB Adalia bipunctata© Ingrid Altmann
Adalia bipunctata© CB

 Coccinella hieroglyphica: back to top
Coccinella hieroglyphica© CB Coccinella hieroglyphica© Ingrid Altmann Coccinella hieroglyphica© Dick Belgers

 Coccinella septempunctata: back to top
Coccinella septempunctata© CB Coccinella septempunctata© Jürgen Peters Coccinella septempunctata© Jürgen Peters

 Coccinella magnifica: back to top
Coccinella magnifica© CB

 Coccinella quinquepunctata: back to top
Coccinella quinquepunctata© CB Coccinella quinquepunctata© Arp Kruithof Coccinella quinquepunctata© Arp Kruithof

 Coccinella undecimpunctata: back to top
Coccinella undecimpunctata© CB Coccinella undecimpunctata© Dick Belgers

 Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata: back to top
Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata© CB

 Oenopia conglobata: back to top
Oenopia conglobata© Arp Kruithof Oenopia conglobata© Arp Kruithof Oenopia conglobata© CB Oenopia conglobata© CB

 Harmonia quadripunctata: back to top
Harmonia quadripunctata© CB Harmonia quadripunctata© CB Harmonia quadripunctata© Frank Dickert Harmonia quadripunctata© Arp Kruithof

 Harmonia axyridis: back to top
Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Manfred Kunz Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Maik Hausotte
Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© Eugen Dietz Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© Maik Hausotte Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Eugen Dietz Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis© Jörg Pageler Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© CB Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis© Bernard Fransen Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis© Arp Kruithof Harmonia axyridis© Gerrian Tacoma

 Myrrha octodecimguttata: back to top
Myrrha octodecimguttata© CB

 Sospita vigintiguttata: back to top
Sospita vigintiguttata© CB Sospita vigintiguttata© Ingrid Altmann

 Calvia decemguttata: back to top
Calvia decemguttata© CB Calvia decemguttata© Ingrid Altmann

 Calvia quatuordecimguttata: back to top
Calvia quatuordecimguttata© CB Calvia quatuordecimguttata© Kirsten Eta

 Propylea quatuordecimpunctata: back to top
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© CB Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Jörg Pageler Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Ingrid Altmann Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© CB Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Jörg Pageler
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Ingrid Altmann Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Arp Kruithof Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Arp Kruithof Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Jürgen Peters Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Ingrid Altmann
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© CB Propylea quatuordecimpunctata© Kirsten Eta

 Myzia oblongoguttata: back to top
Myzia oblongoguttata© CB Myzia oblongoguttata© Angie Opitz

 Anatis ocellata: back to top
Anatis ocellata© CB Anatis ocellata© Arp Kruithof Anatis ocellata© Arp Kruithof Anatis ocellata© Ingrid Altmann Anatis ocellata© Ingrid Altmann

 Halyzia sedecimguttata: back to top
Halyzia sedecimguttata© CB Halyzia sedecimguttata© Jörg Pageler Halyzia sedecimguttata© Arp Kruithof

 Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata: back to top
Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata© CB Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata© Arp Kruithof


Further readings:

  1. Zur Analyse des Polymorphismus bei Adalia bipunctata L.
    N. W. Timofeeff-Ressovsky, Biol. Zbl. 1940, 60 (3-4), 130-137.
  2. Mosaic dominance in the inheritance of color patterns in the lady-bird beetle Harmonia axyridis
    C. C. Tan, Genetics 1946, 31, 195-210. (external link to the article PDF Symbol)
  3. Is polymorphism in two-spot ladybird an example of non-industrial melanism?
    B. R. Benahm, D. Lonsdale, J. Muggleton, Nature 1974, 249, 179-180.
  4. Melanism in Adalia bipunctata L. (Col., Coccinellidae) and its Relationship to Atmospheric Pollution
    J. Muggleton, D. Lonsdale, B. R. Benham, The Journal of Applied Ecology 1975, 12 (2), 451-464.
  5. Polymorphism in the Two-Spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata in Western Norway
    S.-A. Bengtson, R. Hagen, Oikos 1975, 26 (3), 328-331.
  6. On polymorphism in elytral coloration pattern in Coelophora quadrivittata (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae)
    J. Chazeau, Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 1980, 27 (2), 194-198. (external link to the article PDF Symbol)
  7. Ecological Studies on the Polymorphic Ladybird Adalia bipunctata in the Netherlands. II. Population Dynamics, Differential Timing of Reproduction and Thermal Melanism
    P. Brakefield, The Journal of Animal Ecology 1984, 53 (3), 775-790. (external link to the article PDF Symbol)
  8. Selection along Clines in the Ladybird Adalia bipunctata in the Netherlands: A general mating Advantage to Melanics and its Consequences
    P. Brakefield, Heredity 1984, 53 (1), 37-49. (external link to the article PDF Symbol)
  9. Polymorphic Mullerian mimicry and interactions with thermal melanism in ladybirds and a soldier beetle: a hypothesis
    P. Brakefield, Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 1985, 26, 243-267.
  10. Differential winter mortality and seasonal selection in the polymorphic ladybird Adalia bipunctata (L) in the Netherlands
    P. Brakefield, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 1985, 24 (2), 189-206. (external link to the article PDF Symbol [p. 45 et sqq.])
  11. Why big species of ladybird beetles are not melanic?
    L. A. Stewart, F. G. Dixon, Funct. Ecol. 1989, 3, 165-171.
  12. Seasonal variation in elytral colour polymorphism in Harmonia axyridis (the ladybird beetle): the role of non-random mating
    N. Osawa, T. Nishida, Heredity 1992, 69, 297-307.
  13. Differences in thermal balance, body temperature and activity between non-melanic and melanic two-spot ladybird beetles (Adalia bipunctata) under controlled conditions
    P. Jong, S. Gussekloo, P. Brakefield, J. Exp. Biol. 1996, 199 (12), 2655-2666. (external link to the article PDF Symbol)
  14. Does thermal melanism maintain melanic polymorphism in the two-spot ladybird, Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)?
    M. Majerus, I. Zakharov, Zh. Obshch. Biol. 2000, 61 (4), 381-392.
  15. Temporal stability of morph frequency in central European populations of Adalia bipunctata and A. decempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
    A. Honek, Z. Martiková, S. Pekár, European Journal of Entomology 2005, 102 (3), 437-442.