Hyperaspis leechi Miyatake

(Fig. 7)

Hyperaspis leechi Miyatake, 1961: 151.– Kovář 2007: 577; Iqbal et al. 2019: 14.

Brief Description. Length: 3.45–3.80 mm; width: 2.55–2.75 mm. Form (Fig. 7a–c) elongate oval, dorsum strongly convex and glabrous; elytra posteriorly somewhat subtruncate. Head yellow in male (Fig. 7c) and black in female. Pronotum yellow with a median, subtrapezoidal to hourglass-shaped black macula, reaching nearly up to the anterior margin of pronotum, occasionally reduced. Scutellar shield black. Elytra black with four bright yellow-orange spots arranged in two rows, first row of spots broad and roundish, situated above middle, second row of spots transverse oval and apical. Ventral side black except antennae, mouthparts, prothoracic hypomera, legs and lateral sides of abdomen yellow. Abdominal postcoxal line (Fig. 7d, e) broad and boat shaped, apically incomplete, enclosed area densely punctate. Male genitalia (Figs. 7h–k) as illustrated, penis guide (Fig. 7i) asymmetrical in ventral view, shorter than parameres, apex subtruncate; penis (Fig. 7j) with a distinct capsule, inner process distinctly longer and more slender than outer, penis apex (Fig. 7k) as illustrated. Female genitalia (Fig. 7f) with coxites transverse, spermathecal capsule robust with a basal appendix (Fig. 7g) bearing a bulbous, balloon-like distal process.

Distribution. India: Haryana; New Delhi. Pakistan (Iqbal et al. 2019). China. Japan. Russian Far East.

Prey / associated habitat. Specimens examined from northern India were collected on cotton, cowpea, blackgram and greengram during summer months (June–July) (label data). Iqbal et al. (2019) reported it as a predator of Aphis craccivora (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and psyllids (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in Pakistan.

Notes. Miyatake (1961) described H. leechi in detail. Sasaji (1971), Kuznetsov (1997), Ren et al. (2009), and Iqbal et al. (2019) have also provided accounts of this species with illustrations. It was not included in Poorani’s (2002) checklist.