POTENTIAL MULLERIAN MIMICRY BETWEEN ADALIA BIPUNCTATA (LINNAEUS) AND OENOPIA CONGLOBATA (LINNAEUS) (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE) IN IRAN

Abstract

We report on two lady beetle species, Oenopia conglobata (Linnaeus) and Adalia bipunctata (Linnaeus), sympatric in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran, closely resembling each other in coloration. This may be an interesting example of Miillerian mimicry. The putative model, O. conglobata, retains its typical pink elytral background with 16 black spots, whereas the locally most common form (forma fasciatopunctata) of the polymorphic mimic, A. bipunctata, exhibits a similar pink background that is otherwise absent in the species. This pink coloration is achieved by a small amount of red pigments deposited over the white color of the lower layer of the elytra.