Biodiversity of predaceous ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in jackfruit ecosystem from the Gangetic Alluvial Zone of West Bengal, India

Abstract

A potentially profitable crop, jackfruit has a large market. Insect pests of jackfruit not only reduce the production but also affect their food quality. For the biocontrol of various insect pests, ladybird beetles are important group of insects having immense potential. That’s why an extensive survey was conducted in jackfruit fields in 2023 to determine the prevalence of common ladybird beetles. A total of 1301 specimens of ladybirds were collected from six different sites in the Gangetic Alluvial Zone of West Bengal. Thirteen different ladybird species belonging to 12 genera of 5 tribes and 2 sub-families were recorded. The following 7 species belonged to sub-family Coccinellinae and tribe Coccinellini: Illeis confusa, Coccinella transversalis, Megalocaria dilatata, Anegleis cardoni, Micraspis discolor, Propylea dissecta, Cheilomenes sexmaculata. Only one species namely Novius pumilus represents tribe Noviini of the sub-family Coccinellinae. Three species from tribe Chilocorini of sub-family Coccinellinae: Chilocorus nigrita, Chilocorus circumdatus, Brumoides suturalis were documented. Only one species namely Jauravia pallidula represents tribe Sticholotidini of the sub-family Coccinellinae. One species Ortalia vietnamica belonged to sub-family Ortaliinae and tribe Ortaliini. Three species viz., C. nigrita, A. cardoni and N. pumilus are maximally observed and illustrated here with diagnostic notes to facilitate their identification.