Neda callispilota (Guérin­Méneville,1844) comb. rest.

(Figures 1–2, 5A)

Coccinella callispilota Guérin­Méneville, 1844:320.

Neda calispilota: Mulsant, 1850:294; 1866: 88.

Cycloneda callispilota: Crotch, 1874:163; Weise, 1904: 358; Korschefsky, 1931:283; Blackwelder, 1945:452; Gordon, 1987:20.

Body rounded, convex. Integument yellow. Pronotum brown or black with yellow spots, and elytra with brown or black spots. Pronotum with five spots, two rounded and bigger at lateral margin, three smaller, one at apex triangular and two oval at base. Each elytron with eight spots. One of them close to suture. One rounded and small on the callus. Three spots at external margin of the elytron: the apical spot yellow with a black margin, like an eye. Three rounded spots at center of elytral disc (Figs 1 A, 5A).

Abdomen with six visible segments present in the male and five in the female. Abdominal segment 4 slightly curved in the male and in the female (Figs 1 B, 2A). Length 5.50–8.17 mm. Width 4.50–7.00 mm.

Male genitalia: Basal lobe divided at apex, parameres shorter than basal lobe (Fig. 1 C), in lateral view slightly curved (Fig. 1 D). Sipho curved, siphonal capsule elongated with inner arm curved (Fig. 1 E).

Female genitalia with weakly curved cornu; distinct ramus and nodulus; enlarged spermathecal accessory gland; sperm duct attached to distal end of bursa; bursa robust and plicate (Fig. 2 B).

Variation. The number of elytral spots may change: the spots close to the suture can be absent and the apical spots can be black, without a margin like an eye (Fig. 1 A).

Specimens Examined. BRASIL. Minas Gerais. Vila Monte Verde. 16/III/1966, 1 specimens; 10/IV/1967, 1 specimen, J.Halik (MZSP). Rio de Janeiro. Corcovado. X/1957, 1 specimen, Alvarenga & Seabra; XI/1957, 2 specimens XII/1961, 1 specimen; Seabra & Alvarenga; 18/IX/1961, 4 specimens, Alvarenga, Seabra & J.S.Moure; VIII/1966, 1 specimen, VI/1967, 1 specimen, Alvarenga & Seabra; II/1968, 1 specimen; X/1968, 1 specimen, IX/1969, 1 specimen, Alvarenga & Seabra (DZUP). São Paulo. Serra da Bocaina (S.J.Barreiros), XI/1967, 1 specimen; XI/1968, 1 specimen, Alvarenga & Seabra (DZUP); Campos do Jordão, 1 specimen, F.C.Camargo, XII/1935, 1 specimen, F. Lane (MNRJ). Paraná. Guarapuava. I/1957, 2 specimens, H. Schneider (DZUP). Santa Catarina, Hansa Humboldt, Reitter, 1 specimen. Curupá. XII/1962, 1 specimen; II/1963, 1 specimen, X/ 1963, 1 specimen, F.Plaumann. (DZUP). Nova Teutonia. 16/IX/1933, 1 specimen; IX/ 1939, 1 specimen, 9/VI/1945, 1 specimen; IX/1947, 1 specimen; X/1957, 1 specimen; III/ 1968, 1 specimen; VI/1968, 1 specimen; XI/1973, 1 specimen; II/1974, 2 specimens; X/ 1974, 2 specimens; XI/1974, 4 specimens; X/1980, 1 specimen, F. Plaumann (DZUP).

Remarks: Mulsant (1850) placed Coccinella callispilota in his new genus Neda, but subsequent authors, beginning with Crotch (1874), placed it in Cycloneda due to the oval body form and less flattened elytral margin.

According to Vandenberg (2002), this species can be excluded from Cycloneda based on the divided apex of the basal lobe, elongate basal piece, different configuration of the sipho (male genitalia); lack of a well sclerotized infundibulum on the sperm duct (female genitalia); well defined oblique line on the first abdominal segment, and uncharacteristic pronotal colorpattern. Furthermore, the genitalia of both sexes indicate that the species belongs in the subset of " Olla and allies" containing Neda, Mononeda, and Neoharmonia (Vandenberg 1996). Of these choices, Mononeda can be rejected as a possibility for N.

callispilota due to the well defined marginal bead on the outer elytral border (obsolete in Mononeda) and curved hind margin of abdominal segment 4 (linear in Mononeda). Neoharmonia is an even less suitable choice, as members of the latter genus have the apex of the basal lobe entire, and a more tubular form to the spermathecal nodulus.

The type species of Neda, N. norrisii (Guerin), appears to be closely allied to N. callispilota, and we follow Mulsant's original placement of N. callispilota without reservation.