The apterous endemic genus Omphra Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Helluonini) of the Indian subcontinent : taxonomy with notes on habits and distributional patterns

Among the four oriental genera of the tribe Helluonini, Omphra Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae), is unique for its endemism to the Indian subcontinent and aptery. High intraspecies variability in morphological characters and limited diagnostic information makes species differentiation of the genus Omphra a complicated task. The present study provides a description of a new species, Omphra drumonti n. sp. from the Western Ghats, redescriptions and a key to the species of Omphra, details of intraspecies variation, discussion of relationships between taxa and distributional patterns of the genus. Based on the distributional patterns in the Indian subcontinent and flightlessness of the genus, inability to cross the physical barrier of the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta between north and peninsular India is indicated as the reason for its absence in the northeastern Indian subcontinent and endemism to the lower Indian subcontinent

Dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) community structure across a forest- agriculture habitat ecotonein South Western Ghats

Ecotones are zones of transition between biomes or ecosystems.Ecotones, natural or anthropogenic, can greatly affect insect community structure across habitats.Scarabaeinae dung beetles are ideal biological indicators that are used to study effects of habitat modification, fragmentation and edge effects on biodiversity. Dung beetle community structure across a forest-agriculture habitat ecotone in South Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspotin India was studied.Dung baited pitfall traps were used to collect dung beetles from forest, ecotone and agriculture habitat. Community attributes such as species richness, abundance, diversity,indicator and detector species were recorded in the study sites. Species composition varied between the three habitats. Greater similarity in species composition was observed between forest and ecotone. This isattributed to the presence of heliophilic species in the region, adapted to survive in forest and the open edge. Though forest recorded higher abundance,ecotone and agriculture habitat recorded higher species richness and diversity. Low diversity in forest resulted from decreased equitability in the overall forest assemblage resulting from increased dominance of few species such as Onthophagusfurcillifer and O. pacificus. Higher species richness in ecotone and agriculture habitat was associated with heliophilicspecies that respond positively to disturbance, whereas stenotopic species adapted to closed canopy were negatively affected in the region.Onthophagusfurcillifer, the indicator species in the forest and ecotone was also the detector species in agriculture habitat. Presence of such species in the region that are adapted to survive in widely different habitat types is a result of decades of forest degradation and fragmentation in the Western Ghats which led to the establishment of heliophiles andsynanthropic species in the region.Such increase in species richness in disturbed habitat is not considered a positive attribute, as original species composition is altered to favor disturbance adapted species in the region

A revision of Indian species of Parurios Girault with a new record of Papuopsia Boucek (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) from India

Two new species of Parurios Girault viz. P. bouceki Narendran sp. nov. and P. sringericus Narendran sp. nov. are described from India. The female of P. keralensis Narendran is also described. A key to Indian species of Parurios is provided. The genus Papuopsia is recorded for the first time from India

Sex Determination of the Live Rubber Plantation Litter Beetle, Luprops tristis: A Novel Method

Absence of a discrete, externally visible gender-specific character makes sex determination of the rubber plantation litter beetle, Luprops tristis Fabricius (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Lupropini), a difficult task. A new method based on a distinct notch on the 8th sternite of males that can be used to distinguish the sexes is described. This is the only method by which accurate sex determination of L. tristis could be done when culturing of live specimens is required. All alternative methods were found to be either inaccurate or led to higher mortality

A Comparison of the Pitfall Trap, Winkler Extractor and Berlese Funnel for Sampling Ground-Dwelling Arthropods in Tropical Montane Cloud Forests

Little is known about the ground-dwelling arthropod diversity in tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF). Due to unique habitat conditions in TMCFs with continuously wet substrates and a waterlogged forest floor along with the innate biases of the pitfall trap, Berlese funnel and Winkler extractor are certain to make it difficult to choose the most appropriate method to sample the ground-dwelling arthropods in TMCFs. Among the three methods, the Winkler extractor was the most efficient method for quantitative data and pitfall trapping for qualitative data for most groups. Inclusion of floatation method as a complementary method along with the Winkler extractor would enable a comprehensive quantitative survey of ground-dwelling arthropods. Pitfall trapping is essential for both quantitative and qualitative sampling of Diplopoda, Opiliones, Orthoptera, and Diptera. The Winkler extractor was the best quantitative method for Psocoptera, Araneae, Isopoda, and Formicidae; and the Berlese funnel was best for Collembola and Chilopoda. For larval forms of different insect orders and the Acari, all the three methods were equally effective

The apterous endemic genus \u3ci\u3eOmphra\u3c/i\u3e Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Helluonini) of the Indian subcontinent: taxonomy with notes on habits and distributional patterns

Among the four oriental genera of the tribe Helluonini, Omphra Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae), is unique for its endemism to the Indian subcontinent and aptery. High intraspecies variability in morphological characters and limited diagnostic information makes species differentiation of the genus Omphra a complicated task. The present study provides a description of a new species, Omphra drumonti n. sp. from the Western Ghats, redescriptions and a key to the species of Omphra, details of intraspecies variation, discussion of relationships between taxa and distributional patterns of the genus. Based on the distributional patterns in the Indian subcontinent and flightlessness of the genus, inability to cross the physical barrier of the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta between north and peninsular India is indicated as the reason for its absence in the northeastern Indian subcontinent and endemism to the lower Indian subcontinent

Biodiversity Studies and Multicollinearity in Multivariate Data Analysis

Multicollinearity of explanatory variables often threatens statistical interpretation of ecological data analysis in biodiversity studies. Using litter ants as an example,the impact of multicollinearity on ecological multiple regression and complications arsing from collinearity is explained.We list the various statistical techniques available for enhancing the reliability and interpretation of ecological multiple regressions in the presence of multicollinearity

An interesting new species and a new record of the genus Parzaommomyia Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from the Western Ghats, Kerala, India

This article does not have an abstract

An illustrated checklist of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) from the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala, India

An illustrated checklist of 36 species of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) from the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the southern Western Ghats is presented.  Records of eight species endemic to the Western Ghats and a rare primitive old world dung beetle group, Ochicanthon nitidus (Paulian), from the forests of Periyar Tiger Reserve are provided. </div