Records of the Zoological Survey of India - A Journal of Indian Zoology

Sumana Halder ¹, Kaushik Kr. Bhattacharya ¹, P. Parui ¹, Kailash Chandra ¹, Dhriti Banerjee ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

The flies belonging to the family Tephritidae are commonly known as ‘fruit-flies’. These are small to medium sized (2.5-10 mm) flies, colourful, and usually with pictured wings, the sub costal vein curving forward at a right angle. Various species of this family cause damage to fruit (e.g. citrus, apple, mango, sunflower) and other plant crops. The larvae and maggots entered into the fruits, that leads to bacterial infection and finally fruits are destroyed. So, they play a great role in agricultural field (Smith and Brown, 2014).

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Joyjit Ghosh ¹, Amitava Majumder ¹, Sumana Halder ¹, Devanshu Gupta ¹, Kailash Chandra ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhavan, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

The diversified habitats, climatic conditions, available food resources provide a shelter for various insect groups in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Globe. With their highly diverse niche range the beetles in the order Coleoptera represent around 387,100 species globally (Zhang 2011) and are highly diverse so far as their species richness. The scarab beetles belong to family Scarabaeidae under superfamily Scarabaeoidea. The relatively large and stout body, conspicuous colour pattern, elaborate ornamentation and 10 antennal segments with 3-7 segmented club distinguish them from other beetle families. They show an extensive range of assortment in their habitat according to their food preference and life forms. Sometimes dead matters and fungi are chosen as food by them. Often vegetables, fruits, pollens etc. are also preferable food stuff for these beetles. Many of them employed themselves to clean the ground by feeding on detritus matters. More predominantly the beetles belonging to the subfamilies, Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae are associated with dung. They play important roles in nutrient cycling, soil aeration (Mittal, 1993), regulation of dung breeding dipteran pests (Borenmissza, 1970; Fincher 1981). Being phytophagous the subfamilies namely, Melolonthinae, Euchirinae, Rutelinae, Hoplinae, Dynastinae, Valginae, Cetoniinae and Trichiinae belong to the group Pleurosticti (chafers).

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Kaushik Kr. Bhattacharya ¹, Sumana Halder ², Dhriti Banerjee ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN
2 Presidency University, Kolkata-73, IN

Abstract

The fruit flies (Diptera : Tephritidae) represent one of the largest families of Diptera with about 4,500 species, including some of the world's most destructive agricultural pests. Besides causing direct losses to a wide variety of fruit, vegetable and flower crops (e.g., citrus, apple, mango, sunflower), they limit the development of agriculture in many countries because of the strict trade quarantines imposed to prevent their spread.

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