Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Coleoptera (Beetles) ➔ Family Coccinellidae (Ladybirds)

Coccinella (Coccinella) algerica Kovar, 1977

  • Coccinella algerica  2683
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2008-02-21 15:07:48
    Image number: 2683

    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2008-02-21 15:07:48

  • Coccinella algerica  2817
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2010-03-10 13:59:11
    Image number: 2817

    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2010-03-10 13:59:11

  • Coccinella algerica  4498
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica
    ES, Fuerteventura, Jandia; 2011-03-13 14:17:23
    Image number: 4498

    ES, Fuerteventura, Jandia
    2011-03-13 14:17:23

  • Coccinella algerica, mating  2688
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica, mating
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2009-03-23 10:15:21
    Image number: 2688
    mating
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2009-03-23 10:15:21

  • Coccinella algerica, mating  2689
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica, mating
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2009-03-23 10:17:02
    Image number: 2689
    mating
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2009-03-23 10:17:02

  • Coccinella algerica, freshly hatched  2676
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica, freshly hatched
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2007-03-08 10:47:56
    Image number: 2676
    freshly hatched
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2007-03-08 10:47:56

  • Coccinella algerica, freshly hatched  2677
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica, freshly hatched
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2007-03-08 10:46:35
    Image number: 2677
    freshly hatched
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2007-03-08 10:46:35

  • Coccinella algerica, larva  2695
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica, larva
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2007-02-25 14:57:56
    Image number: 2695
    larva
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2007-02-25 14:57:56

  • Coccinella algerica, larva  5402
    Coccinella algerica Kovar, 1977     
    Coccinella algerica, larva
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2012-04-30 13:21:20
    Image number: 5402
    larva
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2012-04-30 13:21:20


Classification:
Coccinella algerica belongs to the subfamily Coccinellinae, tribe Coccinellini.
Distribution:
Canary Islands, Italian Islands (Sicily, Lampedusa, Linosa, Pantelleria), Northwest Africa (Maghreb), Iberian Peninsula.
Habitat:
In the herb layer, on trees and bushes in places where aphids can be found.
Description:
Coccinella algerica has red elytra with 7 black spots. Head, pronotum and legs are mostly black. There are 2 small white spots at the inner edges of the eyes and larger white spots on the anterior corners of the pronotum.
Similar species:
Similar species are Coccinella septempunctata and Coccinella magnifica. These species do not occur in the Canary Islands. Coccinella algerica should be on average slightly smaller than Coccinella septempunctata and usually has larger black spots on the elytra. The curvature of the elytra is less pronounced.
Biology:
Coccinella algerica is a predator. The larvae and adult beetles feed on aphids (Aphidoidea). The species was found on host plants from more than 20 families.
Coccinella algerica is polyvoltin. The species forms up to 3 generations per year.

References, further reading, links:
  1. de Jong, Y.S.D.M. (ed.) (2013) Fauna Europaea version 2.6.2 Web Service available online at https://fauna-eu.org/
  2. Keith J. Bensusan, Josep Muñoz Batet & Charles E. Perez: Coccinella algerica Kovář, 1977: A New Species to the Fauna of Mainland Europe, and a Key to the Coccinella Linnaeus, 1758 of Iberia, the Maghreb and the Canary Islands (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae), Boletín Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, no 39 (2006):323−327.