DNA barcoding of insects from India: Current status and future perspectives.

Insect fauna occupy the largest proportion of animal biodiversity on earth, but the assessment or quantification in terms of species diversity is far from complete. Several recent studies have demonstrated the rapid pace at which insect population decline is occurring. There is an urgent need to document and quantify the diversity of insect fauna for a proper understanding of terrestrial ecosystems. This can be achieved by using modern technology to identify species much faster than relying on traditional methods alone. In line with this, the molecular approach through DNA barcoding coupled with morphological identification needs to be focused and accelerated. The present paper describes the current status of barcoding of insect species in India along with the gaps that need to be remedied. This analysis shows that barcoded specimens cover a very meagre proportion of less than 3.73% of the known taxa/described species and the most represented orders are Lepidoptera and Hemiptera followed by Diptera and Coleoptera. There is a need to expedite insect species discovery and documentation in a collaborative mode between traditional taxonomists and molecular biologists, to accomplish the DNA barcoding of all known insect taxa from India.

Three new species of the genus Scaphoideus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with notes on the female of Scaphoideus varna from India.

Three new species of leafhoppers, Scaphoideus ramamurthyi sp. nov. (from Meghalaya: Barapani), Scaphoideus menoni sp. nov. (from Kerala: Valluvady) and Scaphoideus viraktamathi sp. nov. (from Kerala: Kannavam) from India, are described and illustrated. Also, the female of S. varna Viraktamath & Mohan, previously known only from Myanmar is described with a new record for India. Taxonomic notes on the few cryptic species of Scaphoideus also provided.

A new species of the leafhopper genus Satsumanus Ishihara, 1953 from India (Hempiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae).

A new species of the leafhopper, Satsumanus robusta Sunil and Meshram sp. nov. of the genus Satsumanus Ishihara is described and illustrated from India.

Description of a new evacanthine leafhopper species Sophonia chandrai sp. nov., with new record of Chudania axona (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from India.

A new evacanthine leafhopper, Sophonia chandrai sp. nov., is described from Manipur, India. The Chinese species, Chudania axona Zhang and Yang is recorded from Meghalaya, India and redescribed. A detailed morphological description, illustrations and photographs are provided. Material is deposited in the National Pusa Collection, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. A key to the known species of Chudania from the Indian sub-continent is also included.

Integrative Approaches Establish Colour Polymorphism in the Bamboo-Feeding Leafhopper Mukaria splendida Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from India.

The leafhopper species, Mukaria splendida Distant, is economically important due to itsstatus as a pest on bamboo and was recently reported to bea vector for phytoplasmal disease. Morphological identification is often difficult and requires a high level of taxonomic expertise, with misidentifications causing problematic false-positive/negative results. In this paper, colour polymorphism was recorded in the bamboo-feedingleafhopper M. splendida (Distant, 1908), which is a major insect pest in the bamboo ecosystem based on explorations conducted in different locations of India. Ten morphs were identified for each sex of M. splendida Distant based on the colour pattern on the pronotum and forewings. However, in view of the economic importance of the species, the morphological studies were integrated with the molecular data for the accurate identification of the species. The morphological characteristics and sequence results of the amplified product of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene confirmed that all the morphs were M. splendida and the pairwise distance matrix showed a negligible genetic distance in the COI mtDNA gene. Simulated future predictions, along with detailed notes on the colour polymorphic forms with illustrations, and additional distribution records as well as thebiology of M. splendida were discussed in light of the available literature, all of which will aid the authentic identification of this species.

A new species of bamboo-feeding leafhopper genus Mukariella Viraktamath and Webb (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) along with its morphological variant from India.

A new leafhopper species, Mukariella viraktamathi sp. nov., is described from India along with a distinct morphological variant. Illustrations of males and female are provided. An annotated species checklist of the genus and key to species of the genus Mukariella are also provided.

A new species of leafhopper genus Sophonia (Evacanthinae: Cicadellidae: Hemiptera) from India.

A new evacanthine leafhopper of the tribe Nirvanini, Sophonia submodesta sp. n. (Himachal Pradesh: Nauni), is described and illustrated from India. An annotated key is provided for the identification of all 17 species known under the genus Sophonia reported from the Indian subcontinent. Type material is deposited in the National Pusa Collection, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi, India.

Bambuphaga, a new bamboo feeding-leafhopper genus (Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Punctulini) from India.

A new genus of bamboo feeding leafhopper, Bambuphagan. gen. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Delcephalinae)with Bambuphaga balajiin. sp. from India (Andhra Pradesh) as the type species is described, illustrated, placed in the tribe Punctulini and an annotated checklist to the tribe is provided. The type specimens and material examined are deposited in the National Pusa Collection (NPC), Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.

Lapnana, a new genus of tribe Evacanthini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae) from India.

A new leafhopper genus Lapnana gen. nov. and species Lapnana ishanya, sp. nov. are described and illustrated from Arunachal Pradesh, India. The new genus is closely related to genus Onukindia Viraktamath and Webb but differs in having a median lamellate carina extending from the base to apex of the crown and ventral processes on the male pygofer.

A new species and some new records of leafhopper tribe Scaphoideini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from India.

A new species of leafhopper, Scaphoideus banjarensis sp. nov. from India (Himachal Pradesh: Banjar), is described. Also two genera, Neolimnus Linnavuori and Wanritettix Vilbaste, and four species of tribe Scaphoideini, are newly reported from India: N. egyptiacus (Matsumura) and N. quadricornis Khatri Webb; W. wanrianus (Matsumura); and Grammacephalus punjabensis Shah Duan. Indian Scaphoideini currently comprises 78 species in 18 genera, including those newly reported here. Illustrations and distributions for newly recorded species are also included.

Syncola crypsimorpha (Meyrick, 1922) (Gelechioidea: Blastobasidae): A new pest species associated with cultured lac in India.

A host association for Syncola crypsimorpha (Meyrick, 1922) is discovered after 100 years, since its original description. In India, two blastobasid species, Syncola crypsimorpha (Meyrick, 1922) and S. pulverea (Meyrick, 1907) (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea), are predators of cultured lac, Kerria lacca (Kerr, 1782) (Hemiptera: Kerridae). Descriptions, diagnoses, and images and illustrations of the adult stage, including the male and female genitalia, for these two species are provided to facilitate identifications. A lectotype for Syncola crypsimorpha is designated herein.

A new bamboo-feeding species, Mohunia manohari sp. nov., (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) and first record of the genus from India.

A new record for the leafhopper genus Mohunia Distant from India is provided with description of Mohunia manohari sp. nov. (Arunachal Pradesh: Basar). Type material is deposited in the National Pusa Collection, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India. Illustrations habitus and male genitalia of healthy and parasitized males are given along with an annotated checklist to species of the genus.

A new species of bamboo-feeding leafhopper genus Myittana from India (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae).

A new bamboo leafhopper species, Myittana (Myittana) bidentata sp. nov. is described and illustrated from India (Pantnagar, Uttarakhand). The new species is similar to Myittana (Myittana) distincta but can be distinguished by its large size (7.8 mm long) and the male genital structure. An annotated species checklist of the genus and key to species of the subgenus Myittana (Myittana) are also provided.

New record of the genus Baseprocessa (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Coelidiinae) from India with description of a new species.

The coelidiinae leafhopper genus Baseprocessa Fan Li is newly recorded from India based on the description of B. patkaensis Meshram sp. nov. and a proposed new combination, B. serratispatulata (Viraktamath Meshram) comb. nov. Materials are deposited in the National Pusa Collection, Division of Entomology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India. Photographic illustrations, checklist and key to species of this genus along with a distribution map are also provided.

Moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera) of Delhi, India: An illustrated checklist based on museum specimens and surveys.

BACKGROUND: There have been several recent checklists, books and publications about Indian moths; however, much of this work has focused on biodiversity hotspots such as North-east India, Western Ghats and Western Himalayas. There is a lack of published literature on urban centres in India, despite the increased need to monitor insects at sites with high levels of human disturbance. In this study, we examine the moths of Delhi, the national capital region of India, one of the fastest growing mega-metropolitan cities. We present a comprehensive checklist of 338 moths species using 8 years of light trapping data (2012-2020) and examining about 2000 specimens from historical collections at the National Pusa Collection of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi (NPC-IARI) spanning over 100 years (1907-2020). The checklist comprises moths from 32 families spanning 14 superfamilies with Noctuoidea (48.5%) and Pyraloidea (20.4%) being the the two most dominant superfamilies. We provide links to images of live individuals and pinned specimens for all moths and provide detailed distribution records and an updated taxonomic treatment. NEW INFORMATION: This is the first comprehensive annotated checklist of the moths of Delhi. The present study adds 234 species to the biodiversity of moths from Delhi that were not reported previously, along with illustrations for 195 species.

Morphological characterization of antennal sensilla of Earias vittella (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Nolidae).

The shoot and fruit borer, Earias vittella Fab. (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) is an important and most devastating insect pest on okra and cotton. The pest mainly responsible for causing significant direct damage to tender shoots and fruits of okra, flowers and green bolls of cotton causing net yield loss in both crops. Many non-chemical control strategies have been developed under the insect pest management program, A complete knowledge on the antennal morphology of E. vitella is essential for future electrophysiological and behavioural studies. In the present study, the antennal morphology and types of sensilla on the antennae of both sexes of E. vitella were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Nine distinct types of sensilla were identified on the antennae of both sexes: sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla coeloconica, sensilla auricillica (multiporous), sensilla chaetica, uniporous peg sensilla (uniporous), sensilla styloconica, sensilla squamiformia and bohm bristles (aporous). Among all sensilla, the most widespread are multiporous sensilla trichodea with 42.90 ± 1.77/flagellomere in male and 37.38 ± 1.38/flagellomere in female. Sensilla basiconica were the second most common sensillum type in male antennae with 15.67 ± 1.92/flagellomere. Other multiporous sensilla such as auricillica (11.90 ± 0.99) and coeloconica (4.57 ± 0.25) were significantly more abundant in female than in male antennae. Results of the study provide morphological evidence that E. vitella antennae possess microscopic cuticular structures that can play a role in perception of pheromones, plant odours and other chemical stimulants. This will open up opportunities to assess the possibility of using pheromones and plant-derived compounds for the monitoring or management of E. vittella moths in the agricultural landscapes.

Molecular diversity of Sesamia inferens (Walker, 1856) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from India.

Pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Walker, 1856) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is reported to infest many graminaceous crops and cause significant losses. S. inferens cause damage by killing the central shoot and producing a characteristic symptom called "dead heart". Since graminaceous crops are an important source of food for humans and their livestock, impetus should be given on designing efficient management strategies against pink stem borer. The study of genetic variability of pest populations enables to interpret the ecological investigations correctly and also helps to comprehend the dissimilar response of pest to management tactics. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the diversity in S. inferens populations using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequences from India, Pakistan, China and Indonesia. Analysis revealed a very low nucleotide diversity in Indian populations (π = 0.00981), as compared to a high nucleotide diversity in the sequences outside India (π = 0.4989). The phylogenetic analysis also did not show any clustering among populations within India and Pakistan. However, the nearest neighbour for the Indian and Pakistan population is a sequence from Indonesia followed by China indicating possible ancestral background. This is the maiden attempt to assess the molecular diversity of Indian populations in comparison to populations from other Asian countries. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02678-y.

A new leafhopper species of the genus Anagonalia from India (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Cicadellinae).

A new leafhopper species, Anagonalia lapnanensis sp. nov., is described from Arunachal Pradesh, India. A morphological variant is also described which, is interpreted as belonging to the same species due to negligible divergence in the COI mtDNA gene. Detailed illustration of males and female are provided.

Two new species of bamboo-feeding leafhopper genus Flatfronta (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) from India.

Two new species of the bamboo-feeding leafhopper genus Flatfronta, F. dibangi sp. nov. (Arunachal Pradesh: Basar) and F. uttara sp. nov. (Uttarakhand: Pantnagar) are described and illustrated from India. A checklist and a key to known species of the genus are also provided. Types are deposited in the National Pusa Collection (NPC), Division of Entomology, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, India.

A new species of the genus Hishimonus Ishihara, 1953 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with a new record from India.

A new species Hishimonus adi sp. nov. (Arunachal Pradesh: Pasighat) is described and illustrated from India. A modified checklist and annotated key is provided for the all 25 species reported from the Indian subcontinent. Hishimonus knightiella Viraktamath Murthy is newly recorded from India.