r)20 FAMILY XVI. — GOCCINELLIDiE. 



XIII. Brachyacantha Chev. 1834. (Gr., "short + spine.") 



Oval, slroiiKly convex, Ijlack lieetles, in onr species having each 

 elytron marked with either two or five distinct, rounded yellow or 

 orange spots. Four species occur in the State. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF BEAOHYACANTHA. 



a. Elytra each with Ave clearly delined yellow spots, one humeral, one 

 larger basal, two near the middle and one subapical. 

 6. Elytral spots, except the humeral, well developed and subequal in 

 size, 

 c. Larger, 2.5-3 mm. ; basal spot never much more than semicircular, 

 broadly truncated by the basal margin. 992. ubsina. 



r-e. Smaller, 2-2.2 mm. ; basal spot almo.st fully circular. 



993. STELLATA. 



bb. Elytral spots smaller and unequal, the two median much smaller 

 than the others. 994. 10-pdstulata. 



aa. Elytra each with two spots, one basal, one subapical. 



995. QUADRIPUNCTATA. 



992 (3095). Brachyacantha lksina Fab., Mant, 1798, 61. 

 Elongate-oval, convex. Black, shining; head yellow; thorax with apical 



margin yellow in male, the region of apical angles only, yellow in female; 

 elytra with spots as described in key. Beneath black ; legs pale, the base 

 of femora darker. Thorax and elytra both finely but distinctly and evenly 

 punctate. Length 2.7-3.5 nmi. 



Throughout the State; frequent. IMay 21-July 20. Occurs es- 

 pecially on the leaves and flowers of the common milkweed {As- 

 clepias syriaca L.) 



993 ( ). Bkachyacantha stellata Casey, Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soe., VII, 



1890, 117. 

 Close to ursina and perhaps only a variety. Color nearly the same, 

 the spots proportionally larger. Punctures of elytra coarser and sparser; 

 surface more shining. Length 2-2.2 mm. 



Putnam, Lawrence, Orange, Posey. Perry and Crawford coun- 

 ties; frequent. IMay 11-June 1. The legs are not always "pale 

 throughout" as mentioned by Casey, the basal half of femora being 

 sometimes dark. 



994 (3095n). Bkachyacantha 10-pustttlata Mels., Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat 



Sci., Ill, 1847, 179. 

 Resembles iir.sina but smaller. Pale front border of thorax wider in 

 male; head of female sometimes black with an orange spot on vertex. 

 Punctures coarser and much less numerous. Length l.S-2.:^ mm. 



Throughout the State; scarce. ^lay 31-June 24. Usually given 

 as a variety of nrsliin, but the differences are sufficient to justify its 

 holding specific rank. 



