Bucolus fourneti
Bucolus fourneti is a native Australian, small, hairy coccinellid beetle approximately 2.1-4.5 mm in diameter.
However, Slipinski and Dolambi (2007) have shown that the male genitalia and general external characters remain constant within the different geographical morphs and synonymised the three species to one.
The pupa is covered in a dense coat of white, waxy filaments that is relatively longer and denser than on the larvae.
The entire body of the pupa is sparsely covered in a darker brown pubescence that is particularly longer and denser on pronotum.
The body of pupa is broadly elongate with the pronotum flaring towards the mesonotum and the abdomen tapering to the terminal abdominal tergite.
The clypeolabrum is rounded and sits as a semicircle protruding down from between the large, prominent eyes; frontal part flat or weakly concave.
The pronotum is distinctly transverse and moderately convex with its lateral sides widely explanate and extending rooflike over head and legs.
The terga are sparsely setose with groups of longer and denser setae near the lateral corners; spiracles are not visible externally.
The dorsal surfaces are yellowish white with the head and poorly developed thoracic tergal plates distinctly darker.
Setose strumae, verrucae, unclustered setae and chalazae are present on the dorsal and ventral surfaces.
The inner cutting edges of mandibles are entire, unserrated and slightly sickle shaped, the apex very acute.
The dorsal surface of the first body segment (pronotum) has a darker brown, patchy colouration at the apex.
All tarsi are adorned with a single, highly sclerotised, and sickle-shaped claw with margins entire and unserrated.
All abdominal segments, as with all body parts except for the legs and head capsule, are creamy to yellowy white.
Whilst relatively little is known about Bucolus fourneti, it is known that this species is a ladybeetle native to Australia and has been found under loose Eucalyptus bark, on Acacia and in leaf litter.
Preliminary data suggests that this species is found Australia wide, though is locally sparse in population density.
The collection points for these specimens show a wide distribution for Bucolus fourneti, and this suggests that this species may be a habitat generalist.
However, questions remain regarding the habitat requirements for the species, including the significance of water, altitude and the abundance of specific plant and animal families/species.
Both adult and larval Bucolus fourneti display typical ant-defensive morphologies with respect to their hairy and waxy bodies.
Collection data suggests that this species may be eating Acacia blossoms, and other ant-ladybeetle studies suggest that this species may be eating hemipterans (Volkl, 1995; Volkl & Vohland, 1996; Sloggett et al., 1998; Takizawa & Yasuda, 2006; Suzuki & Ide, 2007).
As Bucolus fourneti can be found in such environmental extremes (as indicated by their large range), it is possible that the microhabitat choices for this species are particularly important for thermo- and hydro- regulation.
In 2007 during a microhabitat survey, Bucolus fourneti were only found co-existing on Eucalyptus blakelyi trees with the ant species Notoncus gilberti.
