New distribution and host records of Chalcidoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from various parts of India

Non

Protectionism and natural history research in India

This paper provides an overview of the status of natural history research in India, and describes how some policies on wildlife protection hamper the conduct of research on insect taxonomy, knowledge of which is mentioned to be vital to wildlife conservation in the region. The opening up of natural history research in India to reputed international scientists is recommended to facilitate the characterization and conservation of biodiversity in the countr

Death sentence on taxonomy in India

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 seriously curtails the scientific freedom of individual taxonomists by putting draconian regulations on the free exchange of specimens for taxonomic research and threatens to strangulate biodiversity research in India with legal as well as bureaucratic control 1. Rules and guidelines framed to implement the Biological Diversity Act, which itself is flawed and based on wrong premises, reveal the appalling ignorance on the part of the implementing agencies. Guidelines accepted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and the National Biodiversity Authority for international collaboration in biodiversity research are testimony to this. Draft guidelines accepted by the National Biodiversity Authority stipulate that ‘Exchange and transfer of dead specimens and/or herbariums (of no commercial value) on loan for taxonomic studies and return by bona fide scientists/professors of recognized universities and Government Institutions of India who are engaged in pure classical taxonomic studies shall be done through the concerned departments/Ministries of the Government of India 2.’ Similarly, a recent notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forests,based on the above guidelines,states that ‘In case the collaborative research projects involve exchange and transfer of dead or preserved specimen(s) and/or herbarium(s) of India on loan or on any other terms for taxonomic studies as required by bona fide scientists/ professors of recognized universities and Government Institutions of India who are engaged in pure classical taxonomic studies, this shall be done with the approval of concerned Departments/Ministries of the Government of India3.’ These guidelines on implementation would achieve the ultimate bureaucratic control in the history of science in India! Proponents of these guidelines have already revealed their mettle through some ludicrous suggestions to entomologists to send pictures, not (dead) specimens, for identification 4. Being paranoid about biopiracy(!), they may even suggest that microbiologists send digital images of microbes abroad for identification, as live cultures are required for identification and they can be easily multiplied and patented

Biological Diversity Act, 2002: Shadow of permit-raj over research

It is too late in history of the world to think that there is time to produce ordered classifications of all plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms, and then to employ these classifications to seek new kinds of generalities while these organisms are still extant. –Peter Rave

Identification of insect community inhabiting Kaas plateau, Western ghats through cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene

Kaas Plateau is located in Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. The region is one of its kinds being a biodiversity hot spot declared by UNESCO representing rich biodiversity of Western Ghats in India. However, insect biodiversity of this region has not been studied in detail so far. Thus, the present study was aimed at identification of insect community based on mitochondrial gene, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (MT-CO1), for quick and reliable identification. During a collection trip, several insect specimens were collected, which belonged to seven insect orders, viz., Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Orthoptera and Thysanoptera. Based on their morphological characteristics, specimens collected were delineated in to various orders and families. This resulted in determination of possible 15 different insect species, of which 7 could be identified up to species level. Remaining 8 sequences were matched with existing GenBank database that was > 96%, therefore, were considered as putative species. One specimen could be identified up to genus level, viz., Cicindela sp. and one up to family level - Pentatomidae and six up to order level only, i.e., Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Thysanoptera (2 specimens). The results suggested that 50% of the community could be identified to species level with MT-CO1 gene and at least about 8 specimens could possibly be new species for India. The insects thus collected from Kaas plateau were molecularly identified and at least 50% of collections were delineated to species level on the basis of their DNA barcodes for the first time

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Not AvailablePlatynaspis flavoguttata (Gorham) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is redescribed and the male genitalia are illustrated for the first time. It is also recorded from Sri Lanka for the first time. Platynaspis bimaculata (Hoang, 1983) is a new junior synonym of Platynaspis bimaculata Pang & Mao, 1979 (new synonym). Platynaspis kapuri Chakraborty & Biswas, 2000, the replacement name for Platynaspis bimaculata Pang & Mao, 1979 established by Ukrainsky (2007), is also the new replacement name for Platynaspis bimaculata (Hoang, 1983), as both are junior homonyms of Platynaspis bimaculata Weise, 1888 besides being synonyms. Platynaspis hoangi Ukrainsky (2007) is an unnecessary replacement name for Platynaspis bimaculata (Hoang).Not Availabl

Phytoparasitica

Not AvailableManatha albipes Moore, hitherto known as a minor pest of palms in India and Sri Lanka, is reported here as an emerging pest of banana and arecanut on a much larger scale from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in South India. The larvae feed on the foliage of banana and arecanut and the stem of arecanut by scraping the tissue and cause severe drying and defoliation. In this paper, life stages of the pest are briefly described with illustrations for the first time. Diagnostic characters of the adults, including genitalia, are illustrated and compared with those of M. taiwana (Sonan), its closest related species. The bagworm pest on banana, commonly identified as Kophene cuprea Moore by economic entomologists, was found to be a misidentification of M. albipes. In view of the extreme external similarity of M. albipes and M. taiwana, COI sequencing of M. albipes collected from arecanut and banana was done and the DNA sequence data was found to be a useful diagnostic tool for this species. COI sequences of M. albipes and M. taiwana showed differences in 53 nucleotides and M. albipes had 9.5% divergence with M. taiwana, confirming that they are distinct species. Additional host plants of M. albipes are listed. Natural enemies associated with M. albipes including three parasitoids (two species of Brachymeria (Chalcididae) and one unidentified tachinid) and one pentatomid predator (Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff)) are reported for the first time

Zootaxa

Not AvailableThe tribe Shirozuellini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is represented by only four species in the Indian Subcontinent. The two species found in mainland India, Promecopharus andrewesi Sicard and Ghanius karachiensis Ahmad, are briefly reviewed: the species are diagnosed, key characters illustrated, and information provided on their distribution and hosts. The genus Sasajiella Miyatake (Coccinellidae: Shirozuellini), is reported for the first time from mainland India and a new species, Sasajiella boothi sp. n., collected from the state of Tamil Nadu, is described and illustrated. The male genitalia and larva of Sasajiella are illustrated for the first time. This is one of only five species in the tribe Shirozuellini known from the Indian subcontinent

A new species of Micraspis Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India

Poorani, J. (2019): A new species of Micraspis Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Zootaxa 4559 (1): 189-192, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4559.1.1