Morphological diversity of the labial sensilla of phytophagous and predatory Pentatomidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), with reference to their possible functions.

Sensory structure on the labial surface of five genera of Pentatomidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) belonging to two subfamilies i.e. Asopinae and Pentatominae have been studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Three representatives of the subfamily Pentatominae (phytophagous)-Dolycoris indicus (Stal), Plautia crossota (Dallas) and Piezodorus hybneri (Gmelin) and two of Asopinae (predatory)-Perillus bioculatus (Fabricius) and Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff) were studied to morphologically characterize and compare the sensory structures present on the labium. Six types of labial sensilla were found on their labial tip and surface. The labial sensilla identified were sensilla peg (SP), basiconica (SB), campaniformia (SCa), chaetica (SCh), styloconica (SStc) and trichodea (ST). Their possible functions were discussed relating to morphology and location. A new form of sensilla basiconica was also observed in D. indicus. Sensilla styloconica were restricted only to the predatory pentatomid bugs. Cuticular projections (Cpr) on the sensorial region of the studied pentatomids were also observed along with labial cuticular pores.

Distinction of Indian commercial lac insect lines of Kerria spp. (Homoptera: Coccoidea) based on their morphometrics.

The lac insects belong to the genus Kerria (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Kerriidae) and are commercially exploited worldwide for the production of lac, which comes from their waxy test and has diverse industrial applications. The insects are maintained by the Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums as distinctive lines that are cultivated and commercialized in the lac producing areas of India. The lines are all considered to belong to the genus Kerria but without validation of their taxonomic characters, and their identity to species has not been ascertained. This study used single-factor analysis of variance and several multivariate analyses, such as principal component analysis, discriminant function analysis, and canonical discriminant analysis to explore the morphometrics of some of the adult female lac insect lines. The results have enabled the identification of some taxonomically significant characters in adult females, which has grouped the 32 lac insect lines studied into 15 species along with validation of the most significant characters. Distinctive grouping patterns for the species of Kerria have been brought out using morphometrics.

Three new species of Kerria (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Tachardiidae) from India.

Three new species of Kerria Targioni-Tozzetti from India, namely Kerria pennyae Ahmad & Ramamurthy sp. nov. on Schleichera oleosa from Orissa, Kerria dubeyi Ahmad & Ramamurthy sp. nov. on Ficus bengalensis from Bangalore and Kerria varshneyi Ahmad & Ramamurthy sp. nov. on Ziziphus mauritiana from Punjab are described and illustrated, and a key is provided to species of Kerria known from India.

Three new species of Kerria (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Tachardiidae), a redesciption of K. yunnanensis Ou & Hong, and a revised key to species of Kerria.

Three new species of lac insect, Kerria Targioni-Tozzetti viz., Kerria manipurensis Ahmad & Ramamurthy sp. nov., Kerria maduraiensis Ahmad & Ramamurthy sp. nov., and Kerria thrissurensis Ahmad & Ramamurthy sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Kerria yunnanensis Ou & Hong is illustrated and redescribed, and a key to the known species of Kerria is provided. The usefulness of star pores as a diagnostic character in the subgeneric divisions of Kerria is also discussed.

Mouthparts and stylet penetration of the lac insect Kerria lacca (Kerr) (Hemiptera:Tachardiidae).

Hitherto less known aspects on mouthpart morphology and penetration mechanism of the lac insect Kerria lacca have been explored. Unique details of the mouthparts, i.e. morphology of labium and stylets and salivary sheath have been brought out. The gross morphology of the mouthparts though resembled other plant sucking homopterans; a two-segmented labium with symmetrically distributed six pairs of contact-chemoreceptors on its surface was distinct; the mandibular stylets had serrations on its extreme apical region, while the maxillary stylets had their external surface smooth with parallel longitudinal grooves on their inner surface. Formation of flanges, salivary sheath and penetration pathway observed along with probing and penetration of the stylets intracellularly up to the phloem cells, as illustrated herein, are the addition to the existing knowledge on the structural details of the mouthparts and the feeding behavior thereupon.