Brachiacantha indubitabilis
Crotch, 1873
Small-spotted Spurleg
Brachiacantha indubitabilis is a minute lady beetle (Coccinellidae) distinguished by strong in coloration. Males display a yellow and black pronotum with yellow margin, while females have a yellowish-brown head and laterally yellow pronotum. Both sexes share black marked with three yellow spots. The is recorded from the northeastern and midwestern United States.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Brachiacantha indubitabilis: /ˌbræ.ki.əˈkæn.θə ˌɪn.djuː.bɪˈtæ.bɪ.lɪs/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Distinguished from other Brachiacantha by the specific pattern of three yellow elytral spots combined with in and pronotum coloration. The small body size (under 3.5 mm) separates it from larger Coccinellidae. The yellow head of males and yellowish-brown head of females provide additional diagnostic characters when specimens are available.
Images
Distribution
Northeastern and midwestern United States. Documented from Massachusetts and New York south to North Carolina, west to Iowa and Illinois; also recorded from Vermont.
Similar Taxa
- Other Brachiacantha speciesShare small size and spotted , but differ in spot number, arrangement, or patterns.
- General CoccinellidaeLarger and those with more numerous spots or different color patterns; B. indubitabilis is notably smaller than most common lady beetles.
More Details
Taxonomic authority
First described by George Robert Crotch in 1873.
Observation rarity
Documented by only 13 iNaturalist observations as of source date, suggesting it is infrequently encountered or underreported.