Influence of Variation of Habitat, Season and Prey on the Distribution and Diversity of Reduviid Predators (Hemiptera:Reduviidae) in Southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Abstract Distribution and diversity of reduviid predators (Reduviidae) were recorded from Killikulam semi-arid zone (SAZ), Aralvoimozhi scrub jungle (SJ) and Godayar tropical forest (TF) of Southern Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India for 12 months (September 2019to August 2020) to record the dominant predator species which can be utilized as a biocontrol agent of agricultural/forest insect pests. In total 641 individuals, belonging to 7 sub-families, 24 genera and 31 species were recorded from the study regions. More number of species were recorded in SJ (22) compared to SAZ (13) and TF (09). The predator population was high during winter and summer in semi-arid zone, scrub jungle and tropical forest respectively. The most dominant reduviids were Edocla slateri Distant and Rhynocoris fuscipes (Fab.) (50%) than Acanthapis pedestris Stal and Catamirus brevipennis Servile (44.4%) and Irantha armipes (38.9%) in Southern Western Ghats and these reduviids can be utilized in the post management programme. SJ showed higher Shannon-Weiner index (2.552) than Simson’s index (0.146). In general, specific prey population regulates particular reduviid irrespective of the habitat of the Southern Western Ghats.