A geometric morphometric study on geographical populations of Hippodamia variegata (Goeze, 1777) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in some parts of Iran

Authors
Rahim Abdolahi Mesbah
Jamasb Nozari
Shahram Dadgostar
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
10.48311/jcp.2015.1205
Abstract
Spotted Amber Ladybird, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze, 1777) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an important predator of aphids and some other insect pests. Since shape and size variation may affect biological characteristics of an insect, multivariate analysis of shape variations in four geographically isolated populations of H. variegata (Isfahan, Shahrekord, Shiraz, Yasuj) was performed based on eight landmarks of hind wing. According to the analysis, significant difference in weight matrices (as shape variable) was detected. The cluster analysis separated Isfahan population from other populations. According to ANOVA, we found significant difference in centroid size (as size variable), so that the two populations, Isfahan and Shahrekord, had larger wings than the two other populations. Distribution of 80 individuals based on partial warps on the relative warp axis placed Isfahan population in a separate group while the others had overlap and irregular distribution.
Keywords
Biological control
geometric morphometric
Hippodamia variegata
population
Journal of Crop Protection
Volume 4, Issue 2
June 2015
Pages 207-215