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| Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii Seki, Liang & Maruyama, in Seki, Liang , Hasin, Chiu et Maruyama, 2026. |
Termite nests host diverse symbiotic arthropods (termitophiles), many of which exhibit specialized morphological and behavioral adaptations to life within termite colonies. While numerous beetle families include well-known termitophiles, an association with termites has not yet been recorded in the family Coccinellidae (ladybird beetles). Here, we report the discovery of Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii Seki, Liang & Maruyama, sp. n., based on adults and larvae collected from nests of Microcerotermes crassus Snyder, 1934, in Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, with additional adults captured at light traps. Although the adult morphology is typical for free-living Scymnini, the larva exhibits a highly unusual, soft-bodied, glabrous body form closely resembling termite workers - an apparent case of convergent evolution also seen in termitophilous rove beetles, scarabs, and phorid flies. The stark contrast between adult and larval morphology suggests stage-specific adaptations, with larvae more intimately integrated into the termite nest environment. Collecting adults at light traps indicates nocturnal dispersal, likely to locate new host colonies. This discovery represents the first confirmed termitophilous ladybird beetle and indicates that termite nests may support previously unrecognized ecological associations within Coccinellidae.
Keywords: New species, predators, Scymnini, taxonomy, termite
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| Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii sp. n. 1 – dorsal view; 2 – ventral view; 3 – lateral view; 4 – alive, lateral view; 5 – alive, ventral view. |
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| Habitat of Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii sp. n. 32–34 – Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii sp. n. (32 – adult; 33–34 – larvae); 35 – soldier of Microcerotermes crassus Snyder, 1934; 36 – forest environment; 37 – mound of Microcerotermes crassus Snyder, 1934. |
Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii Seki, Liang & Maruyama sp. n.
Diagnosis. Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii sp. n. is similar in external coloration to many species of Scymnini (e.g., Sasaji, 1971; Chen et al., 2015a, b; Wang & Chen, 2022), but can be readily distinguished by the structure of the genitalia. This species is placed in the subgenus Pullus Mulsant, 1846 based on the combination of the following characters: antennae composed of 11 antennomeres, prosternal process with well-developed lateral carinae, abdominal postcoxal lines recurved and complete, and female genitalia with a distinct infundibulum (Chen et al., 2015a). Chen et al. (l.c.) divided the subgenus Scymnus (Pullus) from mainland China and Taiwan into S. hingstoni, S. subvillosus, S. impexus, S. perdere, and S. sodalis groups. The new species lacks a prominent dorsal keel on the penis guide of ...
Etymology. The species is named after Tshun-Sî, the son of Wei-Ren Liang, the second author. His name, meaning “sowing in spring,” reflects the hope for the flourishing of future studies on termitophily in Thailand following this groundbreaking discovery.
Distribution. Thailand (Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima)
Ryōta SEKI, Wei-Ren LIANG, Sasitorn HASIN, Chun-I CHIU and Munetoshi MARUYAMA. 2026. The First termitophilous Ladybird Beetle: Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii sp. n. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Microcerotermes nests in Thailand. Eur. J. Entomol. 123: 165-174. DOI: doi.org/10.14411/eje.2026.017 [May 14, 2026]
