Abstract: In order to clarify the community composition and species diversity of ladybirds (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in the Chaozhou Dancong tea region, the species diversity of the family Coccinellidae was investigated in tea gardens at different altitudes. This study used comparative morphology and biodiversity index analysis methods to analyze the species composition, community structure, dominant species, relative abundance, and community diversity index of ladybirds from tea gardens at different altitudes, aiming to explore the relationship between ladybird communities and altitudes in the Chaozhou tea regions. A total of 63 sampling sites were set up for the investigation of ladybirds as natural enemies in tea gardens, with a collection of 1 132 specimens identified into 45 species belonging to 26 genera in 12 tribes. The results show that Sasajiscymnus kuriharai Kitano, 2012 was the dominant species of ladybird community in the Chaozhou tea region, with a relative abundance reaching 50.80%. Furthermore, the analysis results of biodiversity indices of ladybird community at different altitudes reveal that the low-altitude tea gardens had the richest species diversity among these communities with higher values for diversity index (2.48), richness index (5.07) and evenness index (0.73), while having the lowest dominance index (0.17). These results suggest that there is a more stable ladybird community with rich species, even distribution and balanced competitive relationships exists in the low-altitude regions encompassing Chaozhou’s tea gardens. These findings provided a theoretical basis for green pest control and ecological conservation practices in the Chaozhou Dancong tea region.

Key words: ladybirds, community structure, diversity, different altitudes