Variability of elytral color patterns in Coccinellidae |
Text © Christoph Benisch, 2008–2019, photos © cited authors
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1. Introduction |
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.
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2. Short overview |
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Scientific species or family name or fragment, ≥1 character.
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Henosepilachna argus1
Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata7
Chilocorus bipustulatus3
Chilocorus renipustulatus2
Exochomus quadripustulatus4
Exochomus nigromaculatus1
Aphidecta obliterata8
Hippodamia tredecimpunctata3
Hippodamia variegata17
Hippodamia notata4
Hippodamia undecimnotata3
Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata3
Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata5
Adalia conglomerata4
Adalia decempunctata32
Adalia bipunctata10
Coccinella hieroglyphica3
Coccinella septempunctata9
Coccinella magnifica1
Coccinella quinquepunctata4
Coccinella undecimpunctata4
Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata1
Oenopia lyncea1
Oenopia conglobata10
Oenopia impustulata1
Harmonia quadripunctata6
Harmonia axyridis64
Myrrha octodecimguttata1
Sospita vigintiguttata4
Calvia decemguttata3
Calvia quatuordecimguttata5
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata28
Myzia oblongoguttata2
Anatis ocellata12
Halyzia sedecimguttata6
Vibidia duodecimguttata1
Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata7
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3. Gallery |
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Henosepilachna argus
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 © Andreas Müller |
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Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata
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 © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann  © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann  © Johan Verstraeten |
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Chilocorus bipustulatus
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 © Christoph Benisch  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf |
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Chilocorus renipustulatus
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 © Christoph Benisch  © René Köhler |
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Exochomus quadripustulatus
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 © Arp Kruithof  © Christoph Benisch  © Christoph Benisch  © René Köhler |
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Exochomus nigromaculatus
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 © Christoph Benisch |
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Aphidecta obliterata
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 © Ingrid Altmann  © René Köhler  © Christoph Benisch  © Christoph Benisch  © Hedy Jansen  © Ingrid Altmann  © Christoph Benisch  © Arp Kruithof |
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Hippodamia tredecimpunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Lennart Bendixen  © Christoph Benisch |
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Hippodamia variegata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Andreas Müller  © René Köhler  © Arp Kruithof  © Kirsten Eta  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © Helga Becker  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © Arp Kruithof  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Kirsten Eta  © Helga Becker  © Kevin Gurcel  © Tobias Perlick |
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Hippodamia notata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann |
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Hippodamia undecimnotata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © René Köhler  © René Köhler |
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Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann |
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Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Hedy Jansen  © Ingrid Altmann  © Lennart Bendixen  © Ingrid Altmann |
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Adalia conglomerata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Eugen Dietz  © Christoph Benisch  © Christoph Benisch |
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Adalia decempunctata
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 © Ingrid Altmann  © Jürgen Peters  © Ingrid Altmann  © René Köhler  © Christoph Benisch  © René Köhler  © Jürgen Peters  © Arp Kruithof  © René Köhler  © Janet Rowley  © Christoph Benisch  © Manfred Zapf  © René Köhler  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann  © René Köhler  © René Köhler  © René Köhler  © Jörg Pageler  © Jürgen Peters  © René Köhler  © Jörg Pageler  © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Marek Swadzba  © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann |
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Adalia bipunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © René Köhler  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Marek Kozlowski  © Ingrid Altmann  © Christoph Benisch  © Alexandru Pintilioaie |
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Coccinella hieroglyphica
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann  © Dick Belgers |
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Coccinella septempunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Jürgen Peters  © René Köhler  © Jürgen Peters  © Ingrid Altmann  © Janet Rowley  © Ingrid Altmann  © Dieter Gschwend  © Ulrike Buschewski |
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Coccinella magnifica
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 © Christoph Benisch |
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Coccinella quinquepunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © Daniel Rolke |
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Coccinella undecimpunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Dick Belgers  © Lennart Bendixen  © Lennart Bendixen |
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Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata
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 © Christoph Benisch |
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Oenopia lyncea
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 © Christoph Benisch |
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Oenopia conglobata
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 © Volkmar Wagner  © Eugen Dietz  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © Christoph Benisch  © Klaus-Uwe Gnaß  © Marion Friedrich  © Fabian Bötzl |
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Oenopia impustulata
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 © Christoph Benisch |
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Harmonia quadripunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Christoph Benisch  © Frank Dickert  © Arp Kruithof  © Thijs de Graaf  © Gerd Koppe |
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Harmonia axyridis
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 © Arp Kruithof  © Jürgen Eckwert  © René Köhler  © Arp Kruithof  © René Köhler  © Manfred Kunz  © Arp Kruithof  © Klaus-Uwe Gnaß  © Ingrid Altmann  © Christoph Benisch  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Maik Hausotte  © René Köhler  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © Christoph Benisch  © René Köhler  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Eugen Dietz  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Arp Kruithof  © René Köhler  © Christoph Benisch  © Maik Hausotte  © Dennis Rupprecht  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Kirsten Eta  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © Klaus-Uwe Gnaß  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © Eugen Dietz  © Beatrice Jeschke  © Klaus Dühr  © Arp Kruithof  © Jörg Pageler  © Christoph Benisch  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © René Köhler  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Bernard Fransen  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © Robert Keul  © Sigurd Rank  © Gerrian Tacoma  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf |
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Myrrha octodecimguttata
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 © Christoph Benisch |
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Sospita vigintiguttata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Manfred Zapf  © Ingrid Altmann  © Karsten Grabow |
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Calvia decemguttata
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 © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Christoph Benisch  © Ingrid Altmann |
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Calvia quatuordecimguttata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Hedy Jansen  © Kirsten Eta  © Kirsten Eta  © Christoph Bausch |
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Propylea quatuordecimpunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Hedy Jansen  © Hedy Jansen  © Jörg Pageler  © Hedy Jansen  © Ingrid Altmann  © Christoph Benisch  © Lennart Bendixen  © Hedy Jansen  © Kirsten Eta  © Hedy Jansen  © Jörg Pageler  © Ingrid Altmann  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Ingrid Altmann  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © René Köhler  © Jürgen Peters  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Klaus Nowak  © Ingrid Altmann  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Axel Schallwich  © Christoph Benisch  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf |
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Myzia oblongoguttata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Angie Opitz |
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Anatis ocellata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © René Köhler  © René Köhler  © Arp Kruithof  © Arp Kruithof  © Ingrid Altmann  © René Köhler  © Ingrid Altmann  © Ingrid Altmann  © Volkmar Wagner  © Marek Kozlowski  © Dieter Gschwend |
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Halyzia sedecimguttata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Jörg Pageler  © René Köhler  © Arp Kruithof  © René Köhler  © René Köhler |
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Vibidia duodecimguttata
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 © Christoph Benisch |
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Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
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 © Christoph Benisch  © Arp Kruithof  © C. Schmitt-Riegraf  © Hedy Jansen  © Thijs de Graaf  © Ingrid Altmann  © Corinna Reetz |
4. Literature
- Zur Analyse des Polymorphismus bei Adalia bipunctata L.
N. W. Timofeeff-Ressovsky,
Biol. Zbl. 1940, 60 (3-4), 130-137.
- 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 document  )
- Is polymorphism in two-spot ladybird an example of non-industrial melanism?
B. R. Benahm, D. Lonsdale, J. Muggleton,
Nature 1974, 249, 179-180.
- 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.
- Polymorphism in the Two-Spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata in Western Norway
S.-A. Bengtson, R. Hagen,
Oikos 1975, 26 (3), 328-331.
- 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 document )
- 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 document )
- 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 document )
- 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.
- 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 document [p. 45 et sqq.])
- Why big species of ladybird beetles are not melanic?
L. A. Stewart, F. G. Dixon,
Funct. Ecol. 1989, 3, 165-171.
- 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. (External link to the document )
- 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 document )
- 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.
- 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. (External link to the document )
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