An overview of the Leucospidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) of the Arabian Peninsula with description of a new species.

An overview of the family Leucospidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) is provided for the leucospid fauna of the Arabian Peninsula. Two genera containing four species are identified based on morphometrics and colour patterns. One species, Leucospisayezae Usman, Anwar & Ahmad, sp. nov., is described. Leucospiselegans Klug had been previously recorded from Arabia Felix (= Yemen) and is recorded here for the first time from Saudi Arabia. The status of Leucospisaff.namibica from Yemen has been clarified, and this species is placed here in the genus Micrapion Kriechbaumer as M.clavaforme Steffan. An updated key and a map showing the distribution of the family Leucospidae in the Arabian Peninsula is provided. The occurrence and color morphs of all leucospid species that have been recorded so far from the region are briefly discussed.

Review of the genus Sparasion Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Sparasionidae) of the Oriental region with descriptions of new species from India.

BACKGROUND: The genus Sparasion, endoparasitoids of Tettigoniidae, occur in the Nearctic, Palearctic, Afrotropical and Oriental regions. It is absent in the Neotropics and Australasia. Of the thirteen species found in the Oriental region only a single species is from India. RESULTS: Two new species groups - Sparasion bilahari species group and Sparasion manavati species group - are proposed for species from the Oriental region. Thirty-six species are described and illustrated of which twenty-four are new: Sparasion albopilosellus Cameron, 1906 (Pakistan); S. bhairavi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. bhupali Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. bihagi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. bilahari Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. cellularis Strand, 1913 (Taiwan); S. coconcus Kozlov and Lê, 2000 (Vietnam); S. coeruleus Kieffer, 1905 (Sumatra); S. cullaris Kozlov and Lê, 2000 (Vietnam); S. darbari Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. deepaki Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. domes Kozlov and Lê, 2000 (Vietnam); S. elbakyanae Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. formosus Kieffer, 1910 (Taiwan); S. hindoli Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. kalyani Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. kanakangi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. karivadana Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. lividus Johnson, Masner & Musetti, 2008 (Philippines); S. manavati Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. meghmalhari Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. micromerus Kozlov and Lê, 2000 (Vietnam); S. pahadi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. philippinensis Kieffer, 1913 (Philippines); S. ratnangi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. rupavati Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. salagami Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. shulini Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. sinensis Walker, 1852 (China); S. sivaranjini Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. syamalangi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. todi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. travancoricus Mani and Sharma, 1981 (India); S. vanaspati Veenakumari, sp. n. (India); S. visvambari Veenakumari, sp. n. (India) and S. zeelafi Veenakumari, sp. n. (India). Keys to Oriental species of Sparasion are furnished. Intrasexual colour morphs among females of Sparasion is reported. Lectotype is designated for Sparasion cellularis Strand. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-four new species are added to the Indian fauna of Sparasion. Previously described species of Oriental Sparasion are redescribed and illustrated. Keys are furnished for all Oriental species.

Bagarius bagarius, and Eichhornia crassipes are suitable bioindicators of heavy metal pollution, toxicity, and risk assessment.

Water quality index (WQI) of Narora channel and health of endemic fish Bagarius bagarius and plant Eichhornia crassipes, district Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh, India were studied. Among the physicochemical properties of water, pH, D.O, Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cd were above the recommended standards. These factors lead to high WQI (4124.83), indicating poor quality and not suitable for drinking and domestic usage. In fish tissues, the highest metal load was reported in the liver (58.29) and the lowest in the kidney (33.73). Heavy metals also cause a lowering of condition indices. As expected, decreased serum protein (- 63.41%) and liver glycogen (- 79.10%) were recorded in the exposed fish. However, blood glucose (47.22%) and serum glycogen (74.69%) showed elevation. In the plant, roots (21.50) contained the highest, and leaves (16.87) had the lowest heavy metal load. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) > 1, indicates hyperaccumulation of all metals. E. crassipes roots showed the highest translocation factor (TF) > 1 for Ni (1.57) and Zn (1.30). The high mobility factor (MF) reflected the suitability of E. crassipes for phytoextraction of Mn, Cd, Zn, Fe, Ni, and Cu. Moreover, Bagarius sp. consumption could not pose any non-cancer risk. Although, lower cancer risk can be expected from Ni and Cr.

The impact of adjacent habitats on population dynamics of red cotton bugs and lint quality.

Red cotton bugs [Dysdercus spp. (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae] are among the most destructive pests of cotton and many other crops. Red cotton bugs (RCBs hereafter) damage cotton plants by sucking sap and deteriorate lint by staining. The incidence of RCBs causes boll injury along the field margins neighboring with various peripheral areas. The adjacent habitat/crops strongly mediate the population dynamics of RCBs. However, limited is known about the impact of adjacent habitat on population dynamics of RCBs and lint quality. This two-year field study evaluated the impact of adjacent habitat (okra, unpaved road, water channel and Eucalyptus trees) on population dynamics of RCBs and lint quality of cotton. The RCBs were sampled weekly from margins to 4 meter inside the cotton field. The RCBs' populations were monitored and plucked cotton bolls were examined for internal damage. The highest incidence of RCBs was recorded for cotton field adjacent to okra and water channel. Similarly, the highest number of damaged bolls were observed for the field side neighboring with okra and water channel. Furthermore, the highest number of unopened bolls were recorded for okra and water channel sides with higher percentage of yellowish lint. Field sides bordering with Eucalyptus trees and unpaved road had lower RCBs incidence and lint staining. Nonetheless, RCBs incidence was higher at field margins compared to field center indicating that population was strongly affected by adjacent habitat. It is concluded that sowing okra and weedy water channels adjacent to cotton would support RCBs population and subsequent lint staining. Therefore, water channels must be kept weed-free and okra should not be sown adjacent to cotton. Nonetheless, detailed studies are needed to compute monetary damages caused by cotton pests to the crop. Furthermore, effective management strategies must be developed to manage RCBs in cotton to avoid lint-staining problem.