Key to the Alabama Species of Paria

1. Marginal bead between disc and epipleura of elytra becoming rounded and indistinct behind      middle….. 2
    Marginal bead of elytra acute and distinct to apex, may unite with inner margin of epipleura      but not becoming indistinct before joining inner margin of epipleura….. 5
2. Front femur with small but distinct tooth….. 3
    Front femur without tooth….. 4
3. Dark areas (elytra maculae) not especially shining; elytral disc more convex, having greatest      elevation 2/3 from base….. P. fragariae fragariae
     Dark areas (elytra maculae), and in some specimens entire elytra except apex, piceous,      shining; elytral disc especially flat, not elevated at apical 2/3….. P. grgagariae kirki
4. Elytra completely black or dark brown, rarely with faint indications of basal and postmedial      darker spots; host: goldenrod (Solidago sp.) and aster (Aster sp.)….. P. thoracica
     Elytra not completely dark, usually pale in large part, may have suture, basal and postmedial      spots black, or spots may join to form vittae, or elytra may be dark with pale lateral and      apical margins; host: St.-John's-wort (Hypericum sp.)…..      P. sellata
5. Pronotal punctation indistinct to coarse but the punctures not at all confluent….. 6
    Pronotal punctation fine to coarse with at least some of the punctures confluent ….. P.      sexnotata
6. Hind femur with tooth….. 7
    Hind femur without tooth..... P. quadriguttata
7. Front femur without tooth….. 8
    Front femur with tooth….. 12
8. Pronotum with punctures of moderate size….. P. quadriguttata
    Pronotum impunctate or with very fine punctures….. 9
9. Each elytron with basal and postmedial dark spot, or longitudinal stripe, or elytra with pale      lateral and apical margins; pronotum pale….. 10
    Elytra entirely black or dark brown, pronotum pale or dark….. P. thoracica
10. Length 3.5 mm. or longer; inner lobe of tarsal claw about 1/2 length of outer lobe….. 11
      Length less than 3.5 mm.; inner lobe of tarsal claw longer than 1/2 length of outer lobe….. 16
11. Elytra vittate or with entire discal area black (very rarely colored as canella); on St.-John's-        wort (Hypericum sp.)….. P. sellata
      Elytra pale with suture, basal and postmedian spot dark….. P. canella
12. Space between ocular sulcus and compound eye, at point nearest eye, equal to diameter of        facet or more….. 13
      Space between ocular sulcus and compound eye, at point nearest eye, equal to 1/2 diameter        of facet or less….. 14
13. Aedeagus with distinct lateral apical lobes; host Juniperus virginiana ….. P. sexnotata
      Aedeagus with faintly indicated lateral apical lobes; host willow (Salix sp.)….. P.        quadriguttata
14. Abdomen and metasternum entirely pale….. 15
      Abdomen and metasternum mostly black (very rarely pale)….. 19
15. Pronotal punctures very small or absent; form robust, convex, elytral disc with 2 (1 on each       elytron) distinct intrahumeral callosities; posterior elytral spots well forward (about 1/2 the       elytral length); New York to Texas and South Dakota….. P. opacicollis opacicollis
      Pronotal punctures indistinct to moderate in size; form more elongate, subquadrate; elytral       disc more evenly convex; posterior elytral spots laterally extending forward and posteriorly       from elytral declivity….. 16
16. Clypeus smooth between punctures, not alutaceous….. P. quadriguttata
      Clypeus strongly alutaceous….. 17
17. Each elytron usually pale with small intrahumeral elongate dark spot and 2 distinct posterior        discal dark spots, the more caudad being mesal; host: white cedar (Chamaecyparis        thyoides)….. P. blatchleyi
      Each elytron with 2 large elongate discal spots, spots frequently extending laterad to elytral        margin at two places….. 18
18. Length 3.5-3.9 mm., mean 3.1 mm. long; intrahumeral callosities not especially distinct,         elytral disc more nearly flat; host: bald cypress (Taxodium distichum)….. P. wilcoxi
       Length 2.5-3.8 mm., mean 3.1 mm. long; intrahumeral callosities more distinct, although disc         still flat; host: wild rose (Rosa sp.)….. P. fragariae kirki
19. Clypeus alutaceous, punctures close; aedeagus with moderately developed lateral apical         lobes….. 20
       Clypeus smooth, not alutaceous, punctures few, distant; aedeagus with small, indistinct         lateral lobes; host: willow (Salix spp.)….. P. quadriguttata
20. Elytra usually pale with basal and postmedial black spot, occasionally entirely black, base        rarely pale and elytral apexes rarely dark in darker specimens ….. 21
      Elytra usually black with narrow basal and scutellar area pale, rarely pale with spots; host:        dogwood (Cornus spp.)….. P. scutellaris
21. Length, 2.5-3.8 mm., mean 3.1 mm. long; intrahumeral callosities more distinct; host:        strawberry (Fragaria sp.), (Rubus sp.), and rose (Rosa sp.)….. 22
       Length 3.5-3.9 mm., mean 3.7 mm. long; intrahumeral callosities not especially distinct,         elytral disc more nearly flat; host: bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) ….. P. wilcoxi
22. Dark areas (elytral maculae) not especially shining; elytral disc more convex, having greatest        elevation 2/3 from base….. P. fragariae fragariae
      Dark areas (elytral maculae) and in some specimens entire elytra except apex piceous,        shining; elytral disc especially flat, not elevated at apical 2/3…... P. fragariae kirki

Paria quadriguttata LeConte, 1858, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 10: 86.
Paria saliceti Wilcox, 1954, Ohio Biol. Sci. Bull. 43: 408.
     Elongate. Brown-yellow, maculation variable. Vertex alutaceous with close, coarse punctures, coronal suture impressed. Clypeus smooth or very faintly alutaceous, moderately punctate. Pronotum moderately fine to coarsely punctate. Elytra brown-yellow with juxtahumeral and 2 confluent spots just before declivity black, varying to disc entirely black. Marginal bead of elytron acute to apex. Metasternum and abdomen black with pale margins. Length 3.5-4.2 mm. Width 1.9-2.5 mm.
     Alabama records: 6 specimens from Lee¹ and Mobile² counties.
     Seasonal distribution: May 15, June 2.
     Remarks: Loding (75) recorded P. quadriguttata LeConte as a variety of P. canella (Fabricius), from "over state." However, his specimens determined as such were in reality P. fragariae Wilcox, a species not then recognized.
     The identification of the Lee County material was made by Wilcox, who doubtfully referred the single specimen with completely dark elytra to this species. These species were collected by sweeping Salix, the preferred host. Sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis) and Poplar (Populus spp.) also are food plants (95).

Paria blatchleyi Wilcox*

Paria blatchleyi Wilcox, 1957, N. Y. State Mus. and Sci. Soc. Bull. 365: 19.
     Elongate. Brown-yellow with an intrahumeral and 2 discal spots before apical declivity black, either 1 or both of latter occasionally obsolete. Coronal suture impressed; vertex alutaceous, closely moderately punctate; clypeus shining. Pronotum alutaceous, moderately punctate. Marginal bead of elytron acute to apex. Sutural margin usually brown from half to apex. Abdomen entirely pale. Front and hind femora each with tooth. Length 3.0-4.0 mm. Width 1.6-2.4 mm.
     Alabama records: 76 specimens from Baldwin¹, Escambia ¹, and Mobile² counties.
     Seasonal distribution: April 4-July 21, January 21.
     Remarks: The authors collected large series of P. blatchleyi from Chamaecyparis thyoides in both Baldwin and Escambia counties; previously no host plant had been recorded.
     P. blatchleyi is very closely related to P. sexnotata (Say), and may be conspecific.

Paria sexnotata (Say)*

Colaspis sexnotata Say, 1824, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 3: 445.
     Elongate. Brown-yellow with an intrahumeral and 2 usually confluent discal black spots just before apical declivity. Head yellow and broad, black, elongate, frontal spot; coronal suture impressed; vertex shining but slightly alutaceous; punctation coarse; clypeus shining, smooth or alutaceous, punctation coarse, sparse. Emargination of eye depressed. Pronotum smooth (or alutaceous, fide Wilcox (95); punctation moderately deep, rarely confluent. Marginal bead of elytron acute to apex. Abdomen baso-medially black, margins and apex yellow. Front and hind femora each with tooth. Length 3.3-3.5 mm. Width 1.9-2.1 mm.
     Alabama records: 5 specimens from DeKalb¹ and Russell¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: March 16-August 28.
     Remarks: These specimens were collected on Juniperus virginiana. Loding recorded P. sexnotata as a variety of P. canella (Fabricius) from Mobile County, but no specimens bearing such a determination were found in his collection. P. sexnotata is also closely related to P. juniperi Blatchley, which has yet to be found in Alabama.

Paria fragariae fragariae Wilcox

Paria fragariae Wilcox, 1954, Ohio Biol. Sur. Bull. 43: 409.
     Moderately robust. Coloration variable. Pronotum entirely light red-brown to nearly entirely black, but with anterior and posterior margins slightly red; smooth to alutaceous and slightly punctate. Elytra yellow with black intrahumeral spot usually reaching base, black discal spot before declivity, and sinuate black spot along lateral margins. Elytral marginal bead usually distinct to apexes; femoral tooth present on both pro- and metatibiae, although not always distinctly so, especially on profemora; venter usually black, at least mostly dark; clypeus alutaceous and closely punctate, and frons and vertex more densely and coarsely punctate. Length 2.5-3.9 mm. Width 1.4-2.1 mm.
     Alabama records: 2 specimens from Marion¹ and Marshall¹ counties.
     Remarks: This species is the strawberry rootworm, which for years was erroneously called Paria canella (Fabricius).

Paria fragariae kirki Balsbaugh (Fig. 25)

Paria fragariae kirki Balsbaugh, 1970, Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 63: 455 (subsp.).
     Subquadrate, the lateral margins of elytra nearly parallel. Color variable, entirely black except for head and legs and usually elytral apexes which are entirely red-brown, or pronotum red-brown and with no indications of a fascia, elytra quite shiny and red-tan with irregular red-brown or black maculae. Both pro- and metafemoral teeth present. Aedeagus with apex notched and with distinct median piece. Length 2.5-3.8 mm. Width 1.3-2.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 113 specimens from Houston¹ County.
     Seasonal distribution: April 4-August 10.
     Remarks: This species has been taken in Alabama on Rubus sp. and Rosa sp. in addition to strawberries.

Paria wilcoxi Balsbaugh

Paria wilcoxi Balsbaugh, 1970, Ann.Entomol. Soc. Amer. 63: 458.
     Subquadrate, elytral lateral margins subparallel. Shining, pronotum widest at basal third, very minutely and indistinctly alutaceous anteriorly and laterally, moderately densely punctate, punctures coarse, with very broad discal red-brown fascia on red-brown to tannish background. Elytra quite shiny, punctate-striate, tannish with piceous maculae, 3rd interstrial space with posterior extension from another fascia, thin posterior fascia connecting laterally to anterior fascia via thin streak running mainly through 7th interstrial space. Both pro- and metafemoral teeth present. Length 3.5-3.9 mm. Width 2.0-2.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 6 specimens from Baldwin¹ County.
     Seasonal distribution: April 19-August 10.
     Remarks: Balsbaugh (5) recorded bald cypress, Taxodium distichum, as the host plant.

Paria scutellaris (Notman)

Typophorus canellus scutellaris (Notman), 1920, Jour. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 28: 194.
     Moderately robust. Head and pronotum orange-red or latter black. Elytra entirely yellow-brown or with humeral and discal spot just before apical declivity black, spots frequently confluent, or elytra entirely black except for very small basal spot near scutellum being lighter. (Typical specimens have pronotum orange-red and the elytra black except for the scutellar area along base and suture.) Frons and vertex alutaceous, latter with large close punctures. Clypeus alutaceous, strongly, sparsely punctate. Pronotum usually shiny but occasionally faintly alutaceous, finely to moderately punctate. Marginal bead of elytra acute to apex. Front and hind femora with teeth. Length 3.5-4.2 mm. Width 2.1-2.5 mm.
     Alabama records: Baldwin¹, Clay¹, Houston¹, Lee¹, Limestone¹, Lowndes¹, Madison¹, and Marion¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: May 3-July 12.
     Remarks: The Clay County specimens may have been swept from Cornus. It is one of the recorded hosts of the beetle and occurs in the area from which the specimens were taken. Wilcox (5), who determined all but one of these specimens, indicated that difficulty is often encountered in separating P. scutellaris from P. fragariae or P. quadrinotata, two species to which P. scutellaris is closely related. The Baldwin County records were collected by sweeping at night. May 3 to July 12 is the known Alabama seasonal distribution.

Paria opacicollis opacicollis LeConte

Paria opacicollis LeConte, 1859, Smiths. Contr. Knowl. 2: 23.
Paria laevicollis Crotch, 1873, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 25: 40.
Paria histrio Lefèvre, 1877, Ann. Soc. Entomol. France (9), 7: 319.
     Moderately robust, convex. Dorsum brown-yellow with suture darker brown with black spot on intrahumeral callus and single black spot on disc just before apical declivity, or occasionally spots may be lacking. Clypeus, frons, and occiput alutaceous; coronal suture impressed. Emargination of eye depressed. Pronotum alutaceous or nearly shining, faintly or not at all punctate. Elytra smooth, shining, punctures small. Marginal bead entire to apex. Hind femora with tooth; anterior femora with or without tooth. Length 3.0-4.0 mm. Width 1.5-2.3 mm.
     Alabama records: 8 specimens from Barbour¹, Lawrence¹, Macon¹, and Mobile² counties.
     Seasonal distribution: May 26-September.
     Remarks: Loding's specimens were mistakenly identified as P. canella (Fabricius). The host for P. opacicollis is oak, Quercus sp.

Paria thoracica (Melsheimer)

Metachroma thoracica Melsheimer, 1847, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 3: 168.
     Robust, convex. Head, prothorax, and elytra entirely black; or head, prothorax, and scutellum orange-red and elytra black; or head, prothorax, and elytra mahogany brown, latter often with 4 black spots as in P. canella. Head with clypeus, frons, and vertex strongly alutaceous, latter very finely to moderately punctate. Coronal suture impressed. Pronotum alutaceous, impunctate or very finely, sparsely punctate. Elytra strongly convex, smooth or alutaceous. Marginal bead of elytron acute to apex or becoming indistinct beyond middle. Front femora without tooth; hind femora with tooth. Length 3.0-3.9 mm. Width 1.8-2.3 mm.
     Alabama records: Baldwin¹, DeKalb¹, Escambia¹, Houston¹, Lee¹, Lowndes¹, Macon¹, and Mobile² counties.
     Seasonal distribution: April 25-August 26.
     Remarks: Specimens of P. thoracica from Alabama appear to be less "typical" of the species than more northern ones. A much higher percentage of northern P. thoracica are entirely black, whereas more Alabama P. thoracica are mahogany brown. Series from Lowndes, Macon, and Lee counties are seemingly intermediate between P. thoracica and P. sellata. Further biological data might help to resolve the status of this complex.
     Host plants for P. thoracica are: goldenrod (Salidago sp.), aster (Aster sp.), clover (Trifolium sp.), strawberry, Fragaria virginiana; and Amaranthus retroflexus (95). Alabama specimens have been collected from clover.

Paria sellata (Horn)

Typophorus canellus sellatus Horn, 1892, Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 19: 208.
Typophorus canellus vittatus Horn, 1892, Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 19: 208.
     Robust, convex. Head, prothorax, and elytra orange-yellow, the latter with disc black, lateral margins of black area being sinuate. In a few specimens medial area of disc slightly lighter, indicating 4 elytral spots as seen in P. canella. Clypeus, frons, and vertex alutaceous, vertex not at all, or slightly punctate; coronal suture faintly impressed. Pronotum alutaceous, very finely punctate. Elytra strongly convex, shining. Marginal bead of elytra becoming indistinct beyond middle and not reaching apex. Front femora without tooth; hind femora with tooth. Length 3.3-4.7 mm. Width 1.9-2.8 mm.
     Alabama records: Clay¹, Cleburne¹, DeKalb¹, Lee¹, Macon¹, Madison¹, Mobile², Tallapoosa¹, and Winston¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: June 1-August 26.
     Remarks: As indicated in the discussion under P. thoracica, P. sellata and P. thoracica are closely related. Future work may indicate that these 2 forms are conspecific. This supposition is somewhat substantiated by host records. Although St.-John's-wort, Hypericum, and basil, Pycnanthemum, are hosts of P. sellata, goldenrod, Solidago, is a plant upon which both P. thoracica and P. sellata will feed (95).

Paria canella (Fabricius)

Cryptocephalus canellus Fabricius), 1801, Syst. Eleuth. II, p. 52.
Metachroma robusta Blatchley, 1924, Canadian Entomol. 56: 168.
     Robust, convex. Head, prothorax, and elytra orange-yellow. Clypeus smooth or alutaceous; vertex alutaceous, finely punctate; coronal suture impressed. Pronotum alutaceous, finely punctate. Elytra strongly convex, shining; either entirely orange-yellow with suture brown, or with the intrahumeral callus and a discal spot just before the apical declivity brown to black. Marginal bead of elytron distinct to apex. Front femora without tooth; hind femora with tooth. Length 3.6-4.4 mm. Width 2.1-2.5 mm.
     Alabama records: 9 specimens from Baldwin¹, Escambia¹, Lee¹, and Tallapoosa¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: June 26-August 27.
     Remarks: Paria canella appears to be a coastal plain species and seems to be closely related to both P. sellata and P. thoracica. More study needs to be done on its biology. We have collected a pair of P. canella in Florida on Hypericum sp.