Catalogue of the entomological collection of the Division of Zoology of the Faculty of Science in Zagreb, collection of family Coccinellidae (Insecta: Coleoptera)

Abstract

Entomological collections are an invaluable source of data, due to the variety of species they contain, capturing the biodiversity of a given time. Thus, the entomology part of the Division of Zoology Collection (Faculty of Science, Department of Biology), in Zagreb, established in 1890, is an important asset for all faunistic research and any overview of historical changes in species composition, as well as an important resource in the education of young scientists. Here we provide records of 198 ladybird specimens belonging to five tribes and 24 taxa. Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, 1758 and Hippodamia (Hemisphaerica) tredecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1758) were the most abundant species in the collection, with 59 and 40 specimens respectively. The altitudinal range for the specimens in the collection is 10–1031 m a.s.l., with most records having been found between 10 and 199 m a.s.l. Due to the educational and scientific importance of entomological collections, it is recommended that the review and inventory of the entomological material within the Division of Zoology Collection be continued.