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Keya Haldar ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipur, Kolkata-700053, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

Nematode, commonly known as round worm, is considered as one of the major constraint of medicinal plants which can compromise the quality and quantity of their healing properties and their yield. In West Bengal, more than 550 plant species are found to be used medicinally. But, so far only a few species of medicinal plants have been found to be associated with plant parasitic nematodes. Till date, 17 species of nematodes belonging to 10 genera and 9 families under two orders Dorylaimida and Tylenchida have been recorded so far from West Bengal. The diversity and district-wise distribution of those species along with affected medicinal plants in the state are presented in this paper. This will give an idea by which controlling measures may be taken against those hidden and noxious pest of different medicinal plants to eradicate or minimize the damages caused by them.

Keywords

Phytoparasitic Nematode, Diversity, Distribution, Medicinal Plants, West Bengal.

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Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipur, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Antarctica is the last wilderness of our planet and the southernmost continent of the earth. This pristine and beautiful continent is the fifth largest one in the world. It is surrounded by the Southern Ocean, comprising of three Oceans: the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is an icy continent of the earth because more than 98% of its land area is covered by ice and remaining 2% is only the exposed area occupied by rocks and lakes. Almost 70% of the worlds freshwater are accumulated within this ice-cap which may be as thick as 4 km. So it is nothing but a white landmass of the globe and may be called as the 'White Continent of the Earth'. It is the highest continent of the planet with an average elevation of about 2300 meter. It is the coldest and windiest continent, practically a desert due to very little amount of snowfall and without any rainfall, really inaccessible for all practical purposes. Antarctica is a unique place of the earth having 6 months continuous day and another 6 months continuous night in a year. It is a continent for all but for none without any permanent inhabitants and a place of peace, tranquillity and science. It controls the key of the global climate pattern. Due to thick blanket of ice covering the huge landmass of the continent and its inaccessible and inhospitable climate Antarctica has remained as an unexplored area of immense curiosity, always stimulating the adventurous instinct of mankind. Antarctica provides a unique environment to study the interactions of glaciations and climate without human interferences. The mixing process between cold and warm waters in the Southern Ocean demarcates the 'Antarctic Convergence' having the unique physical, chemical and biological characteristics. The natural resources of Antarctica are the common heritage of mankind. Becoming a more or less unexplored part of the world, Antarctica holds promising possibilities and challenges for scientific investigations and economic gains. The continent holds scientific interests for global research projects. It is nothing but a 'Mysterious Continent of the Earth' and for all practical purposes is still 'A Terra Incognita'.

Keywords

Antarctica, Southernmost Landmass, Mysterious Continent.

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Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹, Amalendu Chatterjee ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

During the course of faunistic surveys in Andhra Pradesh from April 1998 to December 2002, a lota! of 671 insects belonging 14 species under five orders have been examined, of which 128 insects comprising of four species were found to be infected with twelve species of nematode parasites. Of these, four species of parasitic nematodes, namely, Hammerschmiduella desingi (Hammerschmidi, 1838) Chitwood, 1932, Cawieronia biovata Basir, 1948, Gryllophila skrjahini (Sergiev, 1923) Basir, 1956 and G. basin Parveen and Jairajpuri, 1981, under the family Thclaslomatidac are dealt herein with detailed descriptions and measurements. These are being recorded for the first time from Andhra Pradesh. The occurrence of different nematodes species in insect hosts of the Stale arc also communicated hereunder.

Keywords

Haniinersclimidtiella Diesingi, Cameronia Biovata, Gryllophila Skrjabiiii. G. Basiri, Nematode, Insect, First Record, Occurrence.

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Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹, Tanmaya Bhattacharya ², Amalendu Chatterjee ¹

Affiliations
1 Nemathelminthes Section, Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipur, Kolkata-700053, West Bengal, IN
2 Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar University, Medinipur-721102, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

Two new species of phytophagous nematodes belonging to order Tylenchida are described and illustrated. The proposed new species Hirschmanniella mannai n. sp. and Heikotylenchus medinipurensis n. sp. were collected from banana plantations of Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. Hirschmanniella mannai comes close to H. gracilis (De Man, 1880) Luc & Goodey, 1%3 but differs from it significantly in the values of L, b, b' and O. Besides, the stylet length, the location of excretory pore and the length of spicule are also different. Helicolyknchus medinipurensis resembles with H. tunisiensis Siddiqi, 1963 and H. belli Sher, 1966 by the truncate lip region, total body length and tail shape but shows marked differences from H. tunisiensis in the values of a, b, c and O and from H. belli in the values of a, b', c, c', m and O. Besides, stylet length, shape of stylet knob and location of phasmid in the profX)sed species also differ from both the closely related species.

Keywords

Tylenchid Nematodes, Hirschmanniella Mannai N. Sp., Helicotylenchus Medinipurensis N. Sp., Batuina Plantation, West Bengal.

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Paromita Roy ¹, Suresh Mandal ¹, Soumendranath Chatterjee ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ²

Affiliations
1 Parasitology and Microbiology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Burdwan, Burdwan-713104, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Mulberry plants are mainly cultivated in five States of India, viz., Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. But moriculture, cultivation of mulberry plants in India, suffers from several biotic threats, such as, arthropod pests, nematode parasites, protozoan parasites and diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses. Of these biotic stresses, nematode parasites cause severe damages to mulberry plants that reduce the growth and quality of the plant. Root-knot nematode parasite, Meloidogyne incognita, affecting mulberry plants is wide-spread and well worked in India. But there is dearth work on diversity and distribution of nematodes associated with mulberry plants in the country except from the State of Manipur wherein 83 nematode species belonging to 4 orders are recorded. In the present paper, a total of 89 nematode species under 4 orders associated with soil and mulberry plants are communicated along with their nature of associations with mulbarry plants at the generic and family level.

Keywords

Mulberry Plant, Nematode, Systematic List, Nature of Associations, Sericulture.

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Keya Haldar ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipur, Kolkata-700053, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

Mangroves are exclusive group of plants with remarkable ecological importance. They have been extensively used for timber, fish, prawns, fodder, tanning materials, fire wood, etc. India has about 4461 sq km area under mangrove vegetation, amongst which about 60% is found along the east coast (Bay of Bengal), 25% occurs on the west coast (Arabian Sea) and 15% on the Bay Islands (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) according to State of Forest Report, Forest Survey of India, 2003. Globally nematodes represent one of the most abundant group and probably the second largest one of the animal kingdom, just behind the arthropods. They are found everywhere and in all kinds of habitats ranging from Himalayan peak to sea floor, from Arctic to Antarctic. Along with other causes of destruction of mangrove forests, nematodes also play a harmful role to this valuable ecosystem. In India, very few works have been done on these noxious pests associated with mangroves. The present paper deals with a consolidated report of these pests, representing more than 50 species, described or reported so far from different mangrove forest areas of India. However, extensive works are needed to monitor the damages caused by them as well as for taking necessary control measures against these hidden enemies.

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Paromita Roy ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ², Soumendranath Chatterjee ¹

Affiliations
1 Parasitology and Microbiology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan-713104, West Bengal, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M- Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Forest is the most valuable and priceless gift of nature. The existence of life depends upon it in various ways. They are home for different organisms, preserve the biodiversity and maintain the ecologic balance. Countless things are available from it like food, fibre, medicine, raw materials for industry and so many others. It also helps to alleviate the pollution and stress which arises by the modern society. It prevents soil erosion and makes the air breathable. More than 30% geographic area is covered by forests globally. In India, about 701673 sq km land area is covered by forests. The major States having maximum forests are Madhaya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chattishgarh, Maharastra and Odisha as per State of Forests Report, Forest Survey of India, 2015.

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Subhankar Dey ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Mangrove forests serve as valuable ecological and economic resources being important nursery grounds and breeding sites for birds, fish, crustaceans, shellfish, reptiles and mammals, a renewable source of wood, accumulation sites for sediment, contaminants, carbon and nutrients and offer protection against coastal erosion. Globally, it occupies about 181, 000 sqkm area of tropical and subtropical coastline. In India, it covers approximately 3% of world's total mangrove forest distributing over twelve States according to India State of Forest Report, 2013.

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Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹, Debabrata Sen ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Soil and plant parasitic nematodes are hidden enemies of agriculture due to their minute structure and are responsible for serious yield losses. During taxonomic survey on soil free living and plant parasitic nematodes from April, 2012 to March, 2015 in Maharashtra 19 species belonging to the order Dorylaimida and 9 species under Tylenchida were collected. These are identified following the keys made by Jairajpuri and Ahmad (1992) and Siddiqi (2000) for the orders Dorylaimid and Tylenchida respectively. Two dorylaimid species are newly recorded from India. Six dorylaimid and 2 tylenchid species are recorded for the first time from Maharashtra. The specimens are deposited to the National Zoological Collections of Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata with registration number. A consolidated report of 32 species under 21 genera and 11 families of Dorylaimida and 49 species under 22 genera and 11 families of Tylenchida described and recorded so far from Maharashtra till date is presented herein.

Keywords

Nematode, Dorylaimida, Tylenchida, Taxonomy, Maharashtra.

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Payal Dattaray ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ², Subhadeep Roy ³, Buddhadeb Manna ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, Parasitology Laboratory, University of Calcutta, B.C. Road, Kolkata-7000019, West Bengal, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, 'M'-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, West Bengal, IN
3 Maharajpur H.S. School, P.O. Maharajpur Paschim Medinipur-721232, West Bengal, IR

Abstract

The genus Aporcelaimellus was erected by Heyns , 1965 belonging to the family Aporcelaimidae Heyns, 1965 under the order Dorylaimida. Tjepkema et. al., (1971) provided a general review of the genus. Determination keys to the species were given by Baqri and Jairajpuri (1968) and Thorne (1974) respectively.

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Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹, A. K. Sanyal ¹

Affiliations
1 Nemathelminthes Section, Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipur, Kolkata-700053, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

The genus Lagenonema was established by Andrassy (1987) belonging to the subfamily Thornenematina e Siddiqi, 1969, famiily Thornenematidae Siddiqi, 1969 under the order Dorylaimida . He erected the genu s by differentiating it from Thomenema Andrissy, 1959 in having abruptly narrowed, bottle-shaped anterior region, well sclerotized spatulate cephalic framework, ventrally concave spear and smaller amphids. Jairajpuri and Ahmad (1992) did not agree with him and noted that Lagenonema was close to Thomenema. Gantait, Bhattacharya and Chatterjee (2010) however agreed with Andrassy's opinion that Lagenonema is a well defined, distinct genus.

Keywords

Nematode, Dorylaimida, Lagenonema, Compendium, Species Key.

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Keya Haldar ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipur, Kolkata-700053, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

The present paper reports 57 nematode species from different mangrove areas of India. Extensive works are needed from other maritime states in India.

Keywords

Nematode, Diversity, Mangrove, India.

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Paromita Roy ¹, Soumendranath Chatterjee ¹, Viswa Venkat Gantait ²

Affiliations
1 Parasitology and Microbiology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan-713104, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Soil and plant parasitic nematodes perform a major role in forest ecosystem. Herein a consolidated report of soil and plant parasitic nematodes (101 species and 90 genera), described and reported so far from Indian pine forests are communicated. This will be helpful to take up control and management measure of this valuable vegetation of our country.

Keywords

Nematodes, Soil, Distribution, Pine Forest, India.

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