Nephus voeltzkowi | |
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Nephus voeltzkowi on a 1 euro coin | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Coccinellidae |
Genus: | Nephus |
Species: | N. voeltzkowi
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Binomial name | |
Nephus voeltzkowi Weise, 1910
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Synonyms | |
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Nephus (Nephus) voeltzkowi is a species of ladybug belonging to the family Coccinellidae naturally occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa, Mascarene archipelagos, and the Azores islands, but also found in the United States ( Florida). [1] This species exhibits the first case of parthenogenesis in ladybugs. [2]
Nephus voeltzkowi can reach a length of 1.65 millimetres (0.065 in) and feeds on mealybugs. Elytra are black, each with one yellowish big oval spot. The body is oval-shaped with short fine whitish pubescence. [3]
Most known populations of Nephus voeltzkowi are bisexual, but several female-only populations were found capable of parthenogenesis. [2]