Functional Morphology and Characters of five abundant species of Ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Functional morphology of five coccinellid species, viz.Coccinella septempunctata, Coccinella transversalis, Menochilus sexmaculatus, Propylea dissecta, and Hippodamia variegata, of the Coccinellini tribe (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). These ladybirds prevalent arise in the agricultural fields, hence could be efficiently spotted by their characteristic elytral pattern and spots. However, we have dissected male and female genitalia and found significant differences at the species level. In males, paramere and median lobe while stylus and genital plate in females are exploitable to differentiate species exhibited by line-drawings.

DIVERSITY OF PREDACEOUS COCCINELLID BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE) IN UTTARAKHAND, NORTH INDIA

A field survey was conducted to explore the diversity of predaceous ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) by sampling adults and larvae from five geographical habitats of Uttarakhand, North India. As a result, eighteen predaceous ladybird beetle species were identified belonging to 15 genera and 3 subfamilies: Chilocorinae, Coccinellinae, and Scymninae. These species were: Platynaspis saundersi, Adalia hexaspilota, Alloneda dodecaspilota, Calvia albida, Menochilus sexmaculatus, Coccinella septempunctata, Coccinella transversalis, Harmonia eucharis, Harmonia sedecimnotata; Hippodamia variegata, Illeis cincta, Illeis confusa, Micraspis discolor, Oenopia sauzeti, Propylea dissecta; Propylea luteopustulata; Palaeoneda auriculata and Scymnus posticalis. Of these, six species ladybird beetles are the first time reported from Uttarakhand. Their distinctive characters, distribution, host plant-prey range, active period, and ecological importance have been described. A few of these species may be potentially utilized as biological agents to control many phytophagous insect pests of agriculture and horticulture crops. A disparity was observed in the ladybird-abundance, as both the number of individuals of ladybirds and their frequency in the population differed significantly. The dominance of a few ladybird beetles, particularly C. septempunctata, M. sexmaculatus, C. transversalis and H. variegata was confirmed by the low value of Simpson’s Dominance Index (0.1903) further indicating the disparity in the populations of different ladybird species in a community

TINGKAT KEANEKARAGAMAN HAMA SERANGGA DAN MUSUH ALAMI (PREDATOR) PADA TANAMAN CABAI MERAH (Capsicum annuum L.) DI DESA LIMPOK KECAMATAN DARUSSALAM KABUPATEN ACEH BESAR

Telah dilakukan penelitian tentang “Tingkat Keanekaragaman Hama Serangga dan Musuh Alami (Predator) pada Tanaman Cabai Merah (Capsicum annuum L.) di Desa Limpok Kecamatan Darussalam Kabupaten Aceh Besar”. Penelitian ini telah dilaksanakan pada tanggal 2 Januari s.d 19 Januari 2017. Adapun tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana tingkat keanekaragaman hama serangga dan musuh alami (predator) yang terdapat di lahan cabai merah (Capsicum annuum L.) di Desa Limpok Kecamatan Darussalam Kabupaten Aceh Besar. Objek dalam penelitian ini adalah semua hama dan musuh alami (predator) yang terdapat pada tanaman cabai merah (Capicum annuum L.) di Desa Limpok Kecamatan Darussalam Kabupaten Aceh Besar. Metode yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kuantitatif, teknik analisis data menggunakan metode diagonal dimana data yang diperoleh pada setiap pengamatan dikumpulkan, dikelompokkan dan dihitung jumlahnya dengan menggunakan rumus (FM, FR%, KM, KM% dan H’). Hasil penelitian tentang Tingkat Keanekaragaman Hama Serangga dan Musuh Alami (Predator) pada Tanaman Cabai Merah (Capicum annuum L.) di Desa Limpok Kecamatan Darussalam Kabupaten Aceh Besar menunjukkan bahwa (1) Nilai tertinggi diperoleh dari spesies Thrips sp dengan (Km) 0,79, (Kr) 31,47 %, (Km) 0,67 dan (Fr) 12,60 % dan pada musuh alami (predator) nilai tertinggi diperoleh dari spesies Kumbang koksi (Coccinella transversalis) dengan (Km) 0,25, (Kr) 84,45 %, (Fm) 1,00 dan (Fr) 46,30 %. Indeks keragaman (H’) hama serangga tergolong sedang dengan nilai berkisar antara 1,96 dan indeks keragaman musuh alami (H’) tergolong sedang dengan nilai berkisar antara 1,01. (2) Jenis-jenis hama serangga yang terdapat di lahan cabai terdiri dari spesies Thrips sp 119 ekor, kutu daun (Myzus persicae) 56 ekor, kutu daun (Aphis gossypii) 64 ekor, kutu kebul (Bemisia tabaci) 32 ekor, kepik hijau (Nezara viridula) 35 ekor, lalat buah (Droshopila melanogaster) 6 ekor, ulat grayak (Spodoptera litura) 64 ekor dan Ulat buah (Helicoverpa armigera) 5 ekor. (3) Jenis-jenis musuh alami (predator) yang terdapat di lahan cabai terdiri dari 4 ordo dan 44 jumlah total spesies yang terdiri dari Lalat tachinid (Billaea maritima) 3 ekor, Lalat prajurit (Argyra argyria) 2 ekor, Kumbang koksi (Coccinella transversalis) 37 ekor, spesies Belalang sembah (Hierodula parviceps) 2 ekor.

Prey quantity affects development, survival and reproductive attributes of Coccinella transversalis Fabricius, 1781 under laboratory conditions

This study assessed development, survival and reproductive parameters of a ladybird beetle, Coccinella transversalis Fabricius, 1781 on different quantities (viz. scarce, optimum and abundant) of the bean aphid prey, Aphis craccivora under laboratory conditions (27 ±1°C; 65 ±5% relative humidity and 14 light: 10 dark hours photoperiod). The pre-oviposition period was the shortest (6.40 ±0.40 days) on abundant prey and longest (9.20±0.49 days) on scarce prey. The oviposition period significantly increased with increasing prey quantity, being longest (55.10 ±1.75 days) on abundant prey and shortest (38.50 ±2.14 days) on scarce prey. Lifetime fecundity and egg viability were recorded the highest (1604.10 ±45.61 eggs and 90.82 ±0.80%, respectively) on abundant diet and lowest (794.60 ±30.84 eggs and 82.72 ±0.67%, respectively) on scarce diet. Reproductive rate, reproductive time ratio, longevity of male and female were all highest, i.e. 29.20 ±0.61 egg/day, 3.70 ±0.26, 65.80 ±1days and 70.30 ±1.30 days, respectively on abundant diet. These parameters were lowest, i.e. 20.90 ±0.83 eggs/day, 1.95 ±0.16, 58.80 ±1.60 days and 56.20 ±1.75 respectively on scarce diet. Development was fastest on abundant prey followed by optimum and slowest on scarce prey. Percentage pupation, percent adult emergence, developmental rate, growth index and generation survival were all highest, i.e. 84.00 ±3.68%, 79.00 ±4.09%, 0.077 ±0.00 day-1, 3.50 ±0.19 day-1, 0.54 ±0.05, respectively when larvae were reared on abundant prey. The same parameters were lowest, i.e. 65.00 ±04.79%, 57.00 ±4.99%, 0.062 ±0.001 day-1, 10.46 ±0.11 day-1, 0.25 ±0.0, respectively on scarce prey. It may therefore be concluded that the availability of abundant prey enhances developmental and reproductive parameters of C. transversalis, and abundant diet of aphid prey may be used for better mass culture of ladybird beetles in laboratories for augmentative biological control of aphids.

Predator performance of Coccinella transversalis and its molecular identification

Predatory efficacy of Coccinella transversalis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on three detrimental agriculturally important aphids (Aphis craccivora, A. fabae and A. gossypii) was studied under laboratory condition. The 4th instar larvae of C. transversalis consumed highest (21.56 ± 1.72) number of A. craccivora aphids followed by A. fabae (12.33 ± 1.74) and A. gossypii (13.99 ± 0.77). Life cycle studies of C. transversalis on the above three aphid species revealed that it took maximum (27.66 ± 3.06) days to complete life cycle while reared on A. craccivora followed by A. fabae (25.66 ± 0.58 days) and A. gossypii (22.33 ± 1.52 days) respectively. As C. transversalis is a potential predator, an attempt was taken to identify this biological control agent based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene sequence. Sequenced gene was submitted to the NCBI GenBank database (Accession NO. MG 587947.1) followed by proper procedure. Phylogenetic relationship of the beetle was constructed based on mitochondrial COI gene. The nucleotide composition analysis revealed that the value of A+T (69.3%) was greater than G+C (30.7%). Such study of C. transversalis would be helpful in biological control programme of aphid pest. Bangladesh J. Zool. 47(2): 229-241, 2019

Study on the Effects of Multiple Matings in Coccinella transversalis for its Behaviour and Reproduction

The evolution and maintenance of multiple mating (repeated mating or polyandry) in predaceous ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an adaptive puzzle; since a single ejaculate of male often provides enough sperm to female for her lifetime egg production. Despite numerous studies on multiple mating evaluating reproductive attributes, there are negligible studies that investigated changes in behavioural patterns in ladybirds during multiple mating. In the present study, effects of multiple mating on mating behavioural pattern of males and reproductive attributes of females have been assessed using Coccinella transversalis as an experimental ladybird species. Results revealed that during copulation behaviour, time for the commencement of mating, latent period, wriggling movement duration, number of bouts and mating duration decreased with increase in number of mating; whereas interval between successive bouts increased significantly. Moreover, fecundity and egg viability of females increased with increase in number of mating.