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An Annotated Checklist of Indian Peiratinae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) with Ecological and Morphological Characteristics

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An Annotated Checklist of Indian Peiratinae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) with Ecological and Morphological Characteristics Biosystematica ISSN: 0973-7871(online) An Annotated Checklist of Indian Peiratinae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) with Ecological and Morphological Characteristics DUNSTON P. A MBROSE, S. SIVARAMA KRISHNAN AND V. J EBASINGH Entomology Research Unit, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Palayankottai 627 002, Tamil Nadu. Corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT - Thirty-nine species of peiratine assassin bugs under nine genera with their taxonomical status, Indian and worldwide distribution and their diagnostic ecological and morphological characters are given. The genus Ectomocoris Mayr is the most abundant group with 21 species followed by the genus Peirates Serville with five species. The diagnostic ecological and morphological characteristics features discussed in this review include microhabitats and habitats, the curvature of rostrum, presence or absence of tibial pads and nature of wings. The morphological characters are correlated to the ecological characteristics and behavioural and biological functions. KEY WORDS - Reduviidae, Peiratinae, Assassin Bugs, Checklist, Ecology, Morphology, India. Introduction predators in situations, where a variety of insect pests occur. Thus, reduviid bugs are important mortality factors Reduviidae is the largest family of predaceous land and should be conserved and augmented for their Heteroptera, globally comprising of 6250 species and utilization in biocontrol programmes (Ambrose 1987a & subspecies in 913 genera and 25 subfamilies (Maldonado, b, 1988, 1991, 1996a & b, 1999, 2000 and 2003; Schaefer, 1990). Among them 342 species under 31 genera belong 1988). However, information on their biosystematics is to the subfamily Peiratinae. Distant (1902b) in his fauna inadequate and it is strongly felt that one should know of British India described 31 species under 6 genera. not only what reduviids are but also its relatives. Such Reduviids are abundant, occur worldwide and are knowledge will broaden and deepen our understanding voracious predators. Hence, they are referred to as of the species, especially those with morphs and “assassin bugs”. Being larger than many other ecotypes, a prerequisite for their effective utilization as predaceous land bugs and encompassing in their biological control agents in Integrated Pest Management development a greater range of size, reduviid bugs programmes. This paper reviews information available consume not only more prey than they need to satiate on the taxonomic status, microhabitats, habitats, themselves but also a wide array of prey. Because they diagnostic morphological characteristics of peiratine are polyphagous assassin bugs may not be useful as assassin bugs from Indian faunal limits and their relation predators on specific pests, but they are valuable © Prof. T.C. Narenderan Trust for Animal Taxonomy Biosystematica, 2007, 1(1): 45-57 http://www.tcntrust.org/journal.php 45 46 DUNSTON P. AMBROSE, S. SIVARAMA KRISHNAN AND V. JEBASINGH to their ecological, behavioural and biological functions jungles, semiarid zones and adjacent agroecosystems. (Ambrose, 1980, 1996a & b, 1999, 2000, 2004a & b and Four species viz., Cleptocoris lepturoides (Wolff), 2006). Ectomocoris cordatus (Wolff), Peirates unipunctatus Livingstone and Murugan and Spilodermus Result and Discussion quadrinotatus (Fabricius) were found in Taxonomical diversity agroecosystems. Two species viz., Ectomocoris The family Reduviidae contains more subfamilies than quadriguttatus (Fabricius) and E. cordiger Stål share any other heteropteran family and their composition and tropical rainforests and semiarid zones and are also found relationship need further studies (Ambrose, 1999, 2004b in agroecosystems. Two species viz., Androclus pictus and 2006). Hence, there is an absolute need for a (Herrich- Schaeffer) and Sirthenea flavipes (Stål) were complete comprehensive reassessment of the subfamilies recorded from semiarid zones as well as agroecosystems. at tribes (division) and generic levels. Distant (1902b) in Peirates punctum (Fabricius) shares semiarid zones as his Fauna of British India, described 31 species belonging well as agroecosystems. Sirthenea nigripes Murugan to 6 genera of subfamily Peiratinae. In the checklist of and Livingstone was recorded only from semiarid zones. Indian assassin bugs (Ambrose, 2006) 39 species of All the above mentioned species with the exception of peiratines under 9 genera were listed. This review covers E. gangeticus & E. tuberculatum were attracted to information on their taxonomic status, ecological and light. The habitats of many light attracted species are morphological characteristics (Table 1). still unknown and it suggests the need for further study on this little known subfamily. Peiratinae is the moderately abundant reduviid subfamily, with 39 species under 9 genera when Peiratinae exhibits lesser endemism or the exclusive compared to the most abundant subfamilies presence in a particular habitat when compared to the Harpactorinae and the next abundant Reduviinae endemism of Harpactorinae and Reduviinae. For (Ambrose, 2006). Among 39 peiratine species, instance, in Harpactorinae, 49% of species is exclusively Ectomocoris dominates with 21 species (54%), followed present in tropical rainforests, 8% in scrub jungles and by Peirates with 5 species (13%); it is Lestomerus 5% in semiarid zones. In Reduviinae 32% of species is Amyot & Serville and Sirthenea Spinola represent 3 exclusively present in tropical rainforests, 10% in scrub species (8%) each, Androclus Stål and Cleptocoris Stål jungles and 5% in semiarid zones (Ambrose, 1980, with 2 species (5%) each and remaining 3 genera viz., 1987a, 1996a, 1999, 2000, 2004a and 2006; Livingstone Catamiarus Amyot & Serville, Phalantus Stål and and Ambrose, 1984). Spilodermus Stål represented by one species, each. Microhabitat Ecological diversity Majority of the peiratines, 21 species (84%) lives Ecological diversity of peiratine assassin bugs is dealt generally under boulders. However, among them species under habitats and microhabitats (Table 2). Among viz., Ectomocoris horridus (Kirby) and L. affinis live peiratines, four species (16%) were exclusively present under bark and E. tibialis, E. quadriguttatus and S. in the tropical rainforests and one species (4%) in scrub quadrinotatus live in litter. Thus, peiratines prefer jungles but no peiratine was recorded as exclusively microhabitats under boulders as observed in Reduviinae present in semiarid zones. Two species (5%) were found and Ectrichodiinae where 38% and 33% were exclusively light attracted. Four species viz., Catamiarus found under boulders, followed by microhabitats under brevipennis (Serville), Ectomocoris tibialis Distant, bark (22%). However, harpactorines prefer shrubs Ectomocoris nigrochripes Murugan and Livingstone (34%) than under boulders (10%) and salyavatines prefer and Lestomerus affinis (Serville) were found in all the litter (80%) and 20% live under boulders (Ambrose, three major ecosystems as well as in agroecosystems 1980, 1987b, 1996a and b, 1999, 2004a and 2006). and moreover they were found light attracted. Two Structural diversity species of Ectomocoris viz., E. gangeticus (Bergroth) Structural and behavioural adaptations of peiratine and E. tuberculatum Livingstone and Murugan and assassin bugs are intimately related to their ecological Lestomerus sanctus (Fabricius) were found in scrub diversity. Hence, structural diversity is discussed under Biosystematica, 2007, 1(1) Checklist of Indian Peiratinae 47 3 major distinguishable structures viz., rostrum, tibial pad compared to harpactorines and reduviines. However, the and wing (Table 3). presence of tibial pads only in the forelegs of two Sirthenea species is considered as a deviation Rostrum (specialization) from the direct line of tibial pad evolution The rostrum of assassin bugs are categorized into four (Livingstone and Ambrose, 1978 & 1984; Ambrose, major types viz., straight, slightly curved, curved and 1999). acutely curved (Ambrose, 1999). Thirty four species Wing (97%) of peiratine assassin bugs have uniformly acutely curved “bow” shaped rostrum (Ambrose, 1999, 2004a Seventy seven per cent of peiratine species are alate, and 2006) and only one species viz., Sirthenea bharathi 11% are brachypterous, 6% are polymorphic and another Sucheta and Chopra has moderately curved rostrum 6% are sexually dimorphic. Members of Androclus, (Sucheta and Chopra, 1998). Peirates, Phalantus, Sirthenea and Spilodermus all are alate. In L. affinis and E. vishnu male is alate and The degree of curvature of rostrum in peiratine female is micropterous (Vennison and Ambrose, 1990b; reduviids is almost similar to that of its closer subfamily Ambrose, 1999). Catamiarus brevipennis is totally Reduviinae where 89% species have acutely curved and brachypterous (Ambrose et al., 1985) whereas males 11% species have curved rostrum. The rostral diversity of E. tibialis and Ectomocoris xavierei Vennison and of Peiratinae is in sharp contrast with Harpactorinae, Ambrose exist both as alate and brachypterous whereas Stenopodainae and Salyavatinae where 83%, 97% and females only as brachypterous (Vennison and Ambrose, 100% species respectively have slightly curved rostrum 1991, Ambrose, 1999). Peiratines have less number of and none has acutely curved rostrum. But 90% of alate species (77%) when compared to harpactorines ectrichodiines have curved rostrum (Ambrose, 1987b, (98%) and reduviines (85%) (Ambrose, 1980, 1996a, 1996a and b, 1999, 2004a and 2006). 1999, 2004a, 2006; Murugan,
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