Adalia decempunctata

Ten-spotted lady beetle
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Adalia
Species: A. decempunctata
Binomial name
Adalia decempunctata
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Adalia decempunctata, commonly known as the ten-spotted ladybird or ten-spotted lady beetle, is a carnivorous beetle of the family Coccinellidae.

The ten-spotted ladybird was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, its original name was Coccinella decempunctata.[1] Its specific name from the Latin decem "ten", and punctata "spotted".[2]

A highly variable species, individuals may in fact bear anywhere from 0 to 15 spots.

References

  1. (Latin) Linnaeus, C (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii).
  2. Simpson, D.P. (1979). Cassell's Latin Dictionary (5 ed.). London: Cassell Ltd. ISBN 0-304-52257-0.

External links

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