2026-05-14 九州大学
シロアリヒメテントウ Scymnus（Pullus）tshunsii Seki, Liang & Maruyama, 2026
【左．シロアリの腹部に似た 幼虫の生体写真 右．成虫の標本写真】
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/ja/researches/view/1475
- https://www.eje.cz/artkey/eje-202601-0017_the-first-termitophilous-ladybird-beetle-scymnus-pullus-tshunsii-sp-n-coleoptera-coccinellidae-from-mic.php
タイのミクロセロテルメス属の巣から発見された初のシロアリ共生テントウムシ：Scymnus ( Pullus ) tshunsii sp. n. (鞘翅目：テントウムシ科)
The first termitophilous ladybird beetle: Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii sp. n. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Microcerotermes nests in Thailand
Ryōta SEKI, Wei-Ren LIANG, Sasitorn HASIN, Chun-I CHIU, Munetoshi MARUYAMA
European Journal of Entomology Published:May 14, 2026
DOI:10.14411/eje.2026.017
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.
