Species diversity of Calliphoridae (Insecta: Diptera) using Hill numbers approach in Kashmir Himalaya, India

Abstract

Abstract Background: Blowflies are of immense importance in medical, veterinary and forensic sciences; besides this, they also act as pollinators, parasites, predators and play an important role in decomposition and nutrient cycling. The first assessment of species richness of the Calliphoridae in the Kashmir Himalaya, an exceptionally biodiverse rich area located at an altitude of 1065 to 5441 meters above sea level in India has been recorded using Hill numbers approach. Results: Differences were analyzed in species diversity among thirty distinct assemblages using size-based rarefaction and extrapolation approaches. The highest species richness and Shannon’s diversity were observed in the assemblages, Hafthrada (34.450 N, 74.060 E) and Arin (34.420 N, 74.640 E) due to the large sample size however, Simpson’s diversity showed altogether a different result from that of the species richness and Shannon’s diversity indicating that the available data was sufficient to determine the true species richness among the various assemblages of the research area with accuracy. Conclusion: The present study provides baseline information on Calliphoridae diversity among thirty distinct assemblages which may prove pivotal for futuristic studies including the role of the flies in medical, veterinary and forensic sciences in the Kashmir Himalaya region, north of India.