Brachiacantha decora

Casey, 1899

Decorated Spurleg, decorated lady beetle

Brachiacantha decora Casey, 1899 is a North ( ) historically recognized as a distinct . A 2020 taxonomic revision synonymized it with Brachiacantha bistripustulata (Fabricius, 1801), rendering B. decora a junior synonym. The species belongs to the dentipes species group within Brachiacantha. No independent biological data exist for B. decora as a separate ; all ecological information refers to the synonymized B. bistripustulata.

Brachiacantha decora 992990 by Juan Cruzado Cortés. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Brachiacantha decora: //ˌbræk.i.əˈkæn.θə dɪˈkɔː.rə//

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Identification

Brachiacantha decora cannot be reliably distinguished from Brachiacantha bistripustulata; the two are now considered . Members of the dentipes group, to which this belongs, are characterized by specific genitalic features and typically exhibit spotted or patterned . Accurate identification requires examination of male or reference to the taxonomic revision that established the synonymy.

Images

Distribution

North America. The synonymized B. bistripustulata occurs in the Neotropical region including the United States, Mexico, and Central America.

Similar Taxa

Brachiacantha bistripustulata (Fabricius, 1801)B. decora was synonymized with this in 2020; they are now considered the same biological entity.
Brachiacantha dentipes (Fabricius, 1801)Belongs to the same dentipes group and shares similar ; distinguished by genitalic characters and elytral pattern.

More Details

Taxonomic Status

B. decora was described by Casey in 1899 but was recognized as a synonym of B. bistripustulata in a 2020 revision (Zootaxa 4701: 551–565). The name B. decora should no longer be used for current specimens.

Data Limitations

No peer-reviewed sources provide independent biological data for B. decora as a distinct . All , dietary, and ecological information in literature refers to the currently accepted name B. bistripustulata.