Mangrove insec.pdf

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National Seminar on Conservation of Eastern Ghats, March 24-26, 2002, held at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

Mangrove insect fauna of Muthupet, Tamil nadu

Abdul . A. Rahaman21, Vidhya Nagar, Erode-638009.

Introduction

Insects are the only class of animals which are so intimately involved in the intracacious and complexities of thebiological world. The insects especially the bees accomplish 80% of the pollination in forests (Washington,

1952). Most of the vegetation in the forests will always have to depend on native insects for their reproduction andfor ecobalance. Insects destroy or damage all kinds of growing crops and other valuable plants. They chew andsuck the sap of the leaves, buds, stem, bark or fruits, (Metcalf and Flint, 1975). Several species of coleopteransattack timber trees and can cause serious economic damage (Beaver and Browne, 1975). The high abundance ofinsects in mangroves confirm their importance in mangrove litter detritus formation. The mangrove invertebratefauna plays a significant role in detritus production and energy flow in the mangrove inshore system. The turnoverrate of nutrients is also increased by these attacks by the mangrove insects (Agate, 1991). The rich insect faunafound in colonizing in dead mangrove tree trunks and fallen timber increase the detritus formation (Santhakumaran,1983). Mangrove insects were been studied from Southeast Asia (Beaver and Brown, 1975), Thailand (Brown,1961 and Murphy, 1990, Malaysisa (Beeson, 1953) and India (Kalshoven, 1958, 1959). These works give muchdetail on the biology and host plant identification.

Timber beetles of Ranong mangroves were studied by Murphy and Meepol (1990). Murphy and Rau (1990)studied the ground mesofauna and herbivore attack on Ranong mangroves. Mangrove butterflies (Shirozu andSaigusa,1962), nymphaline moths from Singapore and crickets from Malaysia (Murphy,1973) were studied ear-lier. Mangrove ecosystem possess technical problems for faunal studies. Mangrove insects are both difficult tosample reliably and are poorly known taxonomically. This group include wide range of taxa and often manydifferent developmental stages. Considerable work has been done on the mangrove insects, while no work hasbeen till reported on the systematics of mangrove insects at Muthupet. Hence the present study has been focussedto bringout a systematic survey list of insect fauna at Muthupet mangroves.

Materials and Methods

Mangrove insects were treated as a special group, since they occupy many habitats of the mangroves each requir-ing a particular collecting and sampling techniques. A crude estimation of the ground dwelling insect fauna wereobtained by hand searching, mangrove timber were hand searched for insect borers. Organisms too active tocapture were estimated by eye. General collection of all phytophagous animals from known host was carried out by day and night observation. The collected specimens were identified.

Results and Discussions

The mangrove insects comprised both native and the migrated species from the adjacent agricultural and saltpanecosystems.Table-1

Mangrove Insects of Muthupet:________________________________________________________________________

Sl.No Order Family Species________________________________________________________________________

I Coleoptera Tenebrionidae Calosoma scrutaforTenebroides mauritanicus

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Gorocephelum hotnanseggiAmarygmus capariumCicindilla ocodontata.

Carabidae Pherasophus lineformsBrachynus americansChlaenus circumdatus .

Scarabicidae Phyllophage crassimaMacrodacylus subspinosusCanthom viridiaOnthophagus longicornis

Elateridae Elaster sp.Chrysomelidae Chaetochema pulicaria

Chaetochema continisSystena balanda

Silphidae Necrophorus marginetusMylaridae Mylabris pustulateCuculionidae Trichobaris triontataCerambycidae Saperda calcarata

Chion cinctusLampyridae Photinus pyralisCoccinellidae Coccinella septempuncata

Chilochorus biralenerousOedemeridae Oedemerid sp. Dynastidae Orcyctes rhinoceros

2-Unidentified

II Hemeptera Fulgoridae Murgantia luptescens (Bugs) Pentatomidae Nezura viridule

Easarcories ventralisBrochymena araboreaChrysocoris stolli

Tingidae Lygus linecolarisHemicocephalidaeHemicocephalis basalisReduviidae Triatoma sanquisugCoreidae Leptocorisa varisugaCorixidae Perillus bioculatusNepidae Locotrephes sp

III Hymenoptera Eumeridae Moobia guadridens(Wasps, bees & ants)

Sphegidae Ammophila levigateScelipharm-mandrospatatnamStizus primaticus

Chalicidae Chalcis cruleMegachilidae Megachile latimanusAndrenidae Andren wikella

Ceratine spMutillidae Mutilla sexmaculataApidae Apis dorsata

Apis floridaXylocopa violacea

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Dryinidae Dryinius trifasciansFormicidae Irdomyrmex humilisVespidae Polites annularis

Componotus spSclenopsis spOcecophylla sp

IV Diptera Tabanidas Tabanus striatusAscilidas Promachus spCulicidae Aedes sp

Culex spAnaphelus sp

Muscidae Haematobia irritansV Lepidoptera Danalidae Danais plexipus

D.limanceD.mellisaD.chrysippusDanais eucharisDanae fabMesonsemia croesus

Pappillionidae Polidours hectorP.polyxenesPolidours aristolochiaePapilio polytes

Pieridae Catopsila horellaAnteas florillaTerlas hacabeHeptosia nina

Apacidae Telchinae violaeNymphalididae Precis lemonias

Ergolis aradinaeUnidentified

Arctiidae Estigmena acraeHalisodota caryace

Crambidae Crambus mutabilisNoctuidae Plathypena scabra

Alabama agilaceaePyralidae Loxostege similalisUnidentified

VI Odonata Anisopteridae Rhyothenus varigata (Dragonflies) Acisoma panorpoides

Aris vividaCrocothemis erytbraeaOrthemrum brunneumLibellula luctuousa3 unidentified species

VII Orthoptera Mantidae Mantis religiosus (Grasshoppers)

Acrididae Neoconocephalus –Exilisconorus

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Gryllotalpha hexadactylaMelanoplus differentialisParatettix cuculatusMicrocentum rhombifoliumMelanoplus femmurrbrumCamnula pellucidae

Phasmidae Necrosia pholidofusGrillidae Gryllus assimilus

VIII Isoptera Zzorotypus lubbari (Termites) Reticulitermus flavipes

In the present study 113 species of insects (Table-1) were identified from Muthupet mangroves. The insects wereclassified into 8 orders and 53 families. 94 insects were identified upto species level and 12 insects upto genus leveland one insect upto family level, while 6 insects upto order level. The maximum number of 28 species were foundin the order Lepidoptera and Coleoptera (28 species), Hemeptera 11 species, Odonata 10 species, Diptera 6species and Isoptera with the minimum number of two species. Insects belonging to 11 families of Lepidoptera and14 families of Coleoptera were dominant.

Dominance of Lepidopterans were also observed in Pichavaram mangroves (Senthil,1992).

The butterflies and moths pollinate mangroves and these Lepidopterans mainly in their larval and developingstages depend on mangrove plants. Lepidopterans are voracious feeders and these feed upon the leaves and budsof mangroves.

The numbers of Coleoptera are the sub-dominant species of Muthupet. In the monogeneric stands of Avicennia,Necrophorus, Marginetus are common. The wood boring coleopteran speceis like Separds calcarata and Trichobaristrinotata are common in Exoecaria agallocha plants. The larvae and adults posses chewing mouth parts and longsnout which enable them to feed the inner tissues and make deep holes in the wood for depositing eggs.

Hymenopteran Chalcis crule, predator of caterpillars (Lefroy,1909) Nutilla sexmaculata and Polistes annularisare the common wasps of Muthupet mangroves. The nests of Polistes annularis were found largely of Avicenniatrees.

Apis florida, and Apis dorsata and are Apis mellifera the commonest honey bees. The nests of leaf cutting beeMegachile latimans, mining bee, Andren wilkella and the Carpenter bee Xylocopa vilolaceae were observed onthe Exoecaria woods. Apis dorsata and Apis mellifera were the honey bees reported from Sunderbans (Naskarand Guhabakshi, 1987).

The weaver ant Oecophylla sp construct nests by spinning the edges of mangrove leaves together The carpenterant Componatus sp and thief ant Solenopsis sp preferably construct their nests in rotten and decaying Exoecariawoods.

Hemepteran bugs are chiefly terrestrial, some are aquatic and semi-aquatic habitat. Murgantia sp and Zezura spfound to be colonize on the lower leaf surface of Exoecaria.

Triatoma sp, Hemicocephalis baslis and Leptocorisa varicornis were parasitic and Loccotrephus sp was observedin semi-aquatic mangrove habitat.

Among the delicate Odonates Aeschnid sp and Rhyotherus varigata were of common occurrence.

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The orhtopteran Neoconocephalus sp, Paraterettix cuculatus were the significant pests on mangrove vegetation.Mantis religious and cricket Gryllus assincilus were the beneficial insects which feeds on small parasitic insectson vegetation.

The termites from the order Isoptera colonize in dead mangrove trees and increase detritus formation.

Dipterans Tabannus striatus is a blood sucker. Culex sp, Aedes sp, and Anaphelus sp were the common mosquitoes.The presence of these species were recorded from Sunderbans by Naskar and Guhabakshi (1987). Based on thefeeding habits of the insects collected from Muthupet 75% of them are considered harmful and 25% as harmless.

Muthupet, the mangrove belt or river Cauvery is an unique ecosystem having rich and diversified insect fauna.These faunal assemblage play a dominant role not in pollination and detritus formation, but infact reflect on thefertility and productivity of the ecosystem.

REFERENCES

1. Agate, A. D. 1981 In: Final report of the integrated multidisciplinary survey and Research programme of theRanong mangrove Ecosystem, Thailand.

2. Beason, C. F. C., 1953. The ecology and control of the forest insects of India and neighbouring countries.(Second edition Forest Research Institute, Dehradun,p.767.

3. Beaver, R. A. and Browne, F. G., 1975. The Scolytidae and Platypodidae (Coleoptera) of Thailand. Orien-tal Insects 9:283-311.

4. Browne, F. G.1961. The biology of Malayan Scolytidae and Platypodidae. Malayan For.Rec.22:1-255.

5. Kalshoven, L. G. E.,1958. Studies on the Biology of Indonesian Scolytidae-4, Data o on the habitats ofScolytidae-first part.Tijdsch.Ent.101:157-180.

6. Kalshoven, L. G. E.,1959. Studies on the Biology of Indonesian Scolytidae-4, Data on the habitats ofScolytidae-Second part. Tijdsch.Ent.102:135-173.7.Lefroy Maxwell, H., 1909. Indian , Insect life.Government of India.

7. Metcalf, C. L. and Flint, W. P., 1979. Destructive and useful insects. Tata McGrew Hill Publishers.Dehradun.p.1086.

8. Murphy, D.H.,1973. The New species of Nymphaline moths from Singapore Mangrove provisionally attributedto Erishtena warren (Lepidoptera; Pyradidae). Raffles Bull.Zool.,37 (1&2):142-159.

9. Murphy, D.H.1990. The recognition of some insects associated with mangrove in Thailand. Mangrovesecosystem occational papers, 15-24.

10. Murphy, D.H. and Meepol.W.,1990. Timber beetles of the Ranong Mangrove Forest Forest, mangroveoccational paper, 5-8.

11. Murphy, D.H and Rua, M.T.,1990. Ground Mesofauna of the Khlong Nagan Transects, Mangrove ecosystemoccational paper, 7:9-13.

12. Naskar, K.R and Guhabakshi, D.N.1987. Mangrove Swamps of Sunderbans. An Ecological perspective,Naya prokash, Calcutta, India.

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13. Santhakumaran, L.N.1983. Incidence of marine wood borers in mangrove in the vicinity of Panaji coast. Goa.Mahasagar, Bull.Nat.Oceanography:16:299-307.

14. Senthil,R.1991. Systematics of Insects of Pichavaram mangrove forest, South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu,M.Sc., Dissertation, A.V.C.College, Manapandal,India.

15. Shirozu.T and Saigusa, 1962. Butterflies collected by the Osaka City university. Biological Expeditionnatural land life in Southeast Asia. 2:25-94.

16..Simberloff, D.S. and Wilson.E.O.1969. Experimental Zoogenography of Island, The colonization of Emptyislands, Ecology 50(20) :278-296.19. Washington, D.C. 1952, Insects, the year book of Agriculture,Oxford and I bit Publishing Co., Delhi.

Plate 1 (Coleoptera)

1. Oedemerid sp. (Oedomeridae)

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Plate 2 (Coleoptera)1. Oryctes rhinoceros (Dynastidae)


1) Calosoma scrutator (Tenebrionidae)2) Pherasoplus lineforms (Tenebrionidae)3) Phyllophaga crassima (Carabidae)4) Elaster sp. (Elateridae)5) Chaetochema pulicaria (Chrysomelidae)6) Chaetochema continis (Chrysomelidae)7) Gorocephelum hotnanseggi (Tenebrionidae)8) Chlaenus circumdatus (Carabidae)9) Amarygmus caparium (Tenebrionidae)

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10) Necrophorus migrinetus (Silphidae)11) Cicindilla ocdonotata (Tenebrionidae)12) Epicaerus imbricatus13) Macrodactylus subspinosus (Scarabaidae)14) Trichobaris trinotata (Curculionidae)


15) Seperta calcarata (Cerambycidae)16) Chion cinctus (Cerambycidae)

17) Melanotus tossilis (Scoliidae)18) Cantom viridia (Scarabaidae)19) Photinus pyralis (Lampyridae)20) Coccinella septempuncata (Coccenellidae)21) Systena balanda (Chrysomelidae)22) Chilocorus biralnerous (Coccenellidae)23) Brachynus americanus (Carabidae)24) Tenebroides mauritanicus (Tenebrionidae)

Plate 5 (Hemeptera)

1. Murgantia luptescens (Fulgoridae)2. Nezura viridula (Pentatomidae)3. Easarcorides ventralis Pentatomidae)4. Lygus linecolaris (Tingidae)5. Brochymena araborea (Pentatomidae)6. Hemicocephalis basalis (Hemicocephalicididae)7. Triatoma sanguisuga (Reduviidae)8. Loccoterphes sp. (Nepidae)

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9. Perillus bioculatus (Corixidae)10. Chrysocoris stolli (Pentatomidae)

Plate 6 (Hymenoptera)

1.Moobia quadridens (Eumeridae)2.Amophila levigata (Sphagidae)3.Sceliphram mandrospatatnam (Sphegidae)4.Chalis crule (Chalicidae)

5.Stizus prismaticus (Sphegidae)6.Andren wilkella (Andrenidae)7.Muitilla sexmacula (Mutillidae)8.Megachile latimanus (Megachilidae)9.Xylocopa aestutans (Apidae)10.Apis flaria (Apidae)11.Dryinius trifascians (Dryinidae)

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Plate 7 (Lepidoptera)

1. Danais plexipus (Danaidae)2. Polidous hector (Papillionidae)3. Danais limance (Danaidae)

4. Anteas florilla (Piperidae)5. Danais chrysippus (Danaidae)6. Danais eueharis (Danaidae)7. Papilio polytes (Papillionidae)8. Danae fab (Danaidae)9. Terlas hacabe (Piperidae)10. Telchine violae (Apacidae)11. Heptosia nina (Piperidae)12. Precis femonias (Nymphalididae)

Plate 8 (Lepidoptera)

13. Ergolis aradine (Nymphalididae)14. Polidours aristolochiae (Pappillionidae)15. Polidours polyxenes (Pappillionidae)16. Zmesonesmis croesus (Danaididae)17. Un-identified lepidopteran18. Estigmena aerae (Arctiidae)19. Crambus mutabilis (Noctuidae)20. Planthypena scabra (Noctuidae)21. Halisodota carace (Arctiidae)22. Alabama aggillaceae (Noctuidae)23. Carpocopsa pomonella (Torfricidae)24. Loxostege similalis (Pyralidae)25. Paralobesis viteans (Tortricidae)26. Un-identified mathia.

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Plate 9 (Orthoptera)

1. Microcentum rhombifolium2& 3. Neoconocephalus exilisconorus4. Malarioplus differentialus5.Malanoplus emurrubrum6.Paratetfix cueulatus7.Un-identified Nimphsteres of Grasshoppers.

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Plate 10 (Diptera and Odonata)

1. Tebanus striatus (Tabanidae)2. Rabber fly3. Acisoma panorpoides4. Rhyothenus varigata (Anisopteridae)5. Orthetrum brunneum6. Aris vivida7. Libellula luctuosa8. Un-identified odonate9. Crocothemis erytbraea10. Un-identified odonate

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