Elytral and Pronotal Polymorphism in the Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of Hyderabad Region

The polymorphism of color and pattern variations on the elytra and pronotum of three ladybird beetle species, Cheilomenes sexmaculata Fabricius, Hippodamia variegata Goeze, and Propylea dissecta Mulsant, from the Coccinellidae family in the Hyderabad region of Telangana, India, was investigated during 2019-2020. Through net sweeping and hand picking, adult beetles were collected and identified based on morphological characteristics. A total of four morphs of C. sexmaculata, seven of H. variegata and eight of P. dissecta were observed, indicating significant polymorphic diversity. Interestingly, these morphs were found to intermate freely, posing challenges in species identification, especially with similar-looking species like Micraspis discolor Fabricius and Chilocorus nigrita Fabricius. The abundance of distinct morphs within these populations suggests the influence of selection pressures from both continuous and discontinuous environmental variations.