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Species Diversity of White Grubs (Coleoptera:Scarabaeidae) in the Sub-Himalayan and Northern Plains of India


Affiliations
1 Division of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India
2 Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Banasthali 304 022, India
 

White grubs belonging to subfamilies Melolonthinae and Rutelinae of Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera) are ubiquitous pests. Studies during 2013 and 2014 document the species diversity of white grubs in the sub- Himalayan and northern plains of India. Surveys conducted in four states, viz. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan revealed high species diversity representing 65 species under 16 genera. The species richness, evenness and composition varied among the states. Higher species diversity was recorded in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh of the sub-Himalayan region when compared to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan of the northern plains. The species abundance distribution followed log normal distribution in all places except Uttarakhand, where the curve skewed to the left due to overweight of species with low abundance. The species dominance and abundance patterns in different regions are presented. The new distributional records, Anomala pictipes Arrow and Popillia macclellandi Hope from Uttarakhand, Anomala propinqua Arrow and Popillia marginicollis Hope from Himachal Pradesh and Anomala stenodera Arrow from Uttar Pradesh are provided.

Keywords

Abundance Models, Melolonthinae, Rutelinae, Species Diversity, White Grub.
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  • Species Diversity of White Grubs (Coleoptera:Scarabaeidae) in the Sub-Himalayan and Northern Plains of India

Abstract Views: 475  |  PDF Views: 135

Authors

K. Sreedevi
Division of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India
Sakshi Tyagi
Division of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India
Veena Sharma
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Banasthali 304 022, India

Abstract


White grubs belonging to subfamilies Melolonthinae and Rutelinae of Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera) are ubiquitous pests. Studies during 2013 and 2014 document the species diversity of white grubs in the sub- Himalayan and northern plains of India. Surveys conducted in four states, viz. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan revealed high species diversity representing 65 species under 16 genera. The species richness, evenness and composition varied among the states. Higher species diversity was recorded in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh of the sub-Himalayan region when compared to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan of the northern plains. The species abundance distribution followed log normal distribution in all places except Uttarakhand, where the curve skewed to the left due to overweight of species with low abundance. The species dominance and abundance patterns in different regions are presented. The new distributional records, Anomala pictipes Arrow and Popillia macclellandi Hope from Uttarakhand, Anomala propinqua Arrow and Popillia marginicollis Hope from Himachal Pradesh and Anomala stenodera Arrow from Uttar Pradesh are provided.

Keywords


Abundance Models, Melolonthinae, Rutelinae, Species Diversity, White Grub.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv113%2Fi02%2F322-329