8 67 M. A. Swail Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2009)10(4): 67-72 DISTINCTION BETWEEN TWO SPECIES OF THE GENUS EXOCHOMUS REDTENB. (COLEOPTERA : COCCINELLIDAE) IN IRAQ M. A. Swail College of Scince, University of Wasit, Wasit ABSTRACT The present paper attempts to establish a distinction between Exochomus negripennis (Er.) and E. quadripustulatus L., depending on the characters of femoral line, male genitalia and spermatheca. INTRODUCTION The genus Exochomus Redtenb. belongs to tribe Chilocorini subfamily Chilocoriniae family Coccinellidae (Furch, 1979). The species of this genus are predaceous beetles feeding on small bodied insects, including especialy aphids, scale insects and mealybug; because of their predatory habits, they are considered highly benificial. The species E. negripennis and E. quadripustulastus are a predators of the aphids Thelaxes suberis Delgo. (Stary and kaddou, 1975). E. flavipes (Thunb.) is a predator of the aphids Rhopalosiphum madis Fitch and Aphis faba Theobald in Pakistan (Irshad, 2001). E. flavipes is a predator of Dactylopius confusus Ckll. (Homoptera : Dactylopidae) and Ferrisia virgita (Ckll.) (Homoptera : Pseudococcidae), and the species E. lituratus Gorh. is predator of Adelges joshii S.O. and S. (Homoptera : Adelgidae) and Dioryctria abetella Schiff (Lepedoptera : Pyralididae) in Pakistan (Irshad 2001). E. nigromaculatus (Goeze) is a predator of the aphid Hylopteerus pruni (Goeffroy) in eastern Turkey (Atlihan and Ozgokce, 2002). The species E. negripennis is recorded for Iraq by (Khalf, 1963) and the species E. quadripustulatus are recorded for Iraq by (Roberts, 1972) and for the aim of distinction between these two species this work has been done. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty male of E. negripennis were collected by the asperator and killed by freezing. Four male of E. quadripustulatus were borrowed from Entomology Department-Iraq Natural History Museum, Baghdad. The morphological characters of the two species were checked by dissecting and some parts of the specimens which show morphological differences between the two species like femoral line, male genitalia, apex of siphon, spermatheca were drawn applying cameralucida. The work was based on illustrated keys by (Pope, 1963) and (Bielawiski, 1984). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Exochomus negripennis (Er.) Shape almost circular and convex (fig.1). Head reddish-brown in some specimens; labrum, clypeus and frons dark-brown; pronotum reddish-brown; elytra dark-brown except humeral angles, external borderes and apex reddish-brown. Legs brownish, under side body reddish- brown except first and second exposed abdominal sternite dark. 68 Distinction between Two Species Femoral line almost makes half-circle reaching to three-fourths of the length of sternite and ends in anterior border (fig.2). Male genitalia (fig.3). Penis has a wide base and narrowed toward apex which appears acute, its length reaching to half of paramer. Paramer has a short deep narrowness at the point of the reaching with the basal piece, then beginning to be wide toward apex, which appears circular and wide. Apex of siphon as in (fig.4). Spermatheca (fig.5). With anterior nodule makes obtuse angle with posterior cornu which appears slightly widened. The specimens of these species have been collected from Jadiriah-Baghdad in 1985, Kut in 1986, 2005 and Baquba in 2001, which feed on Aphid Insects. Exochomus quadripustulatus L. Shape almost circular and evenly convex (fig.6). Head black except labrum; clypeus and frons reddish-brown; its pronotum black except anterior border, angles and lateral sides reddish-brown; scutellum black; elytra black except the base border, external and internal borders of elytron dark-brown, with two reddish-brown spots on each, anterior spot surrounds humeral tubercle, its size varies in some specimens, posterior spot usualy slightly widdened transversly. Legs black except tarsi brownish. Underside of body black except the external border of 1-4 sternites and all ultimate abdominal sternites reddish-brown. Femoral line almost make half circle reaching three-fourths length of sternite, with two notches in its posterior half, and ends in anterior border of sternite (fig.7). Male genitalia (fig.8). Penis with a wide base and narrowed toward apex and slightly notched before apex, which curved and narrowed, its length reaching beyond three-fourths length of paramer; paramer narrow reaching to half of its length, then begining slightly widdened toward apex which appears slightly circular. Apex of siphon as in (fig.9). Spermatheca (fig.10). With anterior nodule makes acute angle with posterior cornu which appear strongly widden. The specimens of this species have been collected from Shaqlawa (Arbil) 1985 feed on aphid. Comparative notes: it differs from E. negripennis (Er.) in the following characters; colour of body is black and reddish-brown in E. negripennis, femoral line with two notches in its posterior half and there is no notches in the femoral line of E. negripennis, penis length reaching beyond three-fourths length of paramere and reaching to half of paramere in E. negripennis, spermatheca with anterior nodule makes acute angle with, posterior cornu which a ppear strongly widden and with anterior nodule makes obtuse angle with posterior cornu which a ppear slightly widden in E. negripennis. LITERATURE Atlihan, R. and Ozgokce, M. S. 2002. Development,fecundity and prey Consumption of Exochomus nigromaculatus feeding on Haloptrus Pruni. Phytoparasitica, 30(5): 332- 339. Bielawski, R. 1984. Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) of Mongolia. Annal. Zool., 38(14): 282-460. Fursch, H. 1979. Insect of Saudi Arabia, Coleoptera: Fam. Coccinellidae. Fauna Saudi Arabia, 1: 235-248. Irshad, M. 2001. Aphids and their biological control in Pakistan. Pakis. Jour. of Biol. Sci, 4(5): 537-541. 69 M. A. Swail --------------. 2001. Distripution, hossts, ecology and biotic potential of Coccinellids of Pakistan. Pakis. Jour. Of Biol. Sci. 4(10): 1259-1263. Khalf, K. T. 1963. Faunistic notes in Iraq. Bull. Iraq .Nat. Hist. Mus., 2(8): 1-12. Pope, R. D. 1963. Hand books for the identification of British insects. Coleoptera- Coccinellidae and Sphindidae London R. Ent. Soc. 5pt.7, 12pp. Roperts, H. 1972. Forestry resarch, demonatration and traning. Arbil, Iraq. Forest entomology-FAO technical report 6. 145pp., Rome, Fo: Dp/IRQ/68/518. Stary, P. and Kadou, I. K. 1975. Records of Aphidophagous insects in Iraq. Bull. of the Biol. Res. Center Baghdad, Publ.,3: 16pp. 70 Distinction between Two Species Figs.1-5: Exochomus negripennis (Er.). 1. outline and pattern of body. 2. femoral line. 3. male genitalia. 4. siphon. 5. spermatheca. 71 M. A. Swail Figs.6-10: Exochomus quadripustulatus L. 6. outline and pattern of Body. 7. femoral line. 8. male genitalia. 9. Siphon. 10. spermatheca . 72 Distinction between Two Species Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2009)10(4): 67-72 س جلن ن ا ني م ني ن ع م يز ب الت Exochomus Redtnb (Coleoptera : Coccinellidae) ر ق ع يف ال ل س سوي ي عبا هد م وم ط –كلية ا عل س مع وا جا ة ص اخلال ع و ني الن متي زا ب ث ح ن ال م ض وع Exochomus negripennis (Er)يت Exochomus والن quadripustulatus L. مد د ا ت التمييز على دراسة املظهر اخلارجي،اخلط الفخذي وق .سوءة الذكرية واملستودع املنوي ،ال