World Journal of Zoology 7 (3): 226-231, 2012 ISSN 1817-3098 © IDOSI Publications, 2012 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjz.2012.7.3.64114 Eight New Records of Genus Acanthaspis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from Madhya Pradesh, India 12Kailash Chandra, Sandeep Kushwaha, 11B. Biswas, Paramita Mukherjee and 1Animesh Bal 1Zoological Survey of India, ‘M’ Block, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 2Zoological Survey of India, Central Zone Regional Centre, Scheme No. 5, Plot No. 168-169, Vijay Nagar, Jabalpur-482 002 Madhya Pradesh, India Abstract: The paper presents the new record of eight species of the genus Acanthaspis viz., A. fulvipes (Dall.), A. quinquespinosa (Fab.), A. trimaculata Reuter, A. siva Dist., A. luteipes Walker, A. sexguttata (Fab.), A. flavipes Stal and A. rugulosa Stal, belonging to family Reduviidae of the order Hemiptera from Madhya Pradesh, India. Key words: Assassin bugs Central India INTRODUCTION Livingstone [23], Biswas and Bal [24, 25], Biswas et al. [26], Biswas and Mitra [27]. Rahul and Hegde [28] The Heteroptera, or true bugs represent the largest reported Acanthaspis quinquespinosa Fabricius from and most diverse group of hemimetabolous insects. Central India. However, the scattered information on Reduviids occurring throughout the world, are voracious assassin bugs from Madhya Pradesh was reported by predators and referred to as “Assassin bugs”. These Biswas and Ghosh [29], Chandra et al. [30] Chandra bugs may not be useful as predators of specific pests as [31, 32] and Ramakrishna et al. [33]. The nymphal they are polyphagous, but they are valuable predator to camouflaging on predation and cannibalism in the a variety of insect pests. They are generally found in Acanthaspis siva was studied by Ambrose [34]. tropical rain forest, semi-arid zone, scrub jungle and agro-ecosystem but mostly common in tropical rain forest Abbreviation Used: PTR: Pench Tiger Reserve, BSCCP: ecosystem. Bansagar Canal Construction Project, MNP:Madhav The genus Acanthaspis Amyot and Serville belongs National Park, SWLS: Singhori Wildlife Sanctuary. to subfamily Reduviinae (=Acanthaspidinae) and commonly found in Oriental and Ethiopian region. MATERIAL AND METHODS Conservation of assassin bugs can be achieved only if their biosystematics and bio-ecology are understood While working on insect fauna of national parks thoroughly. The study includes record of eight species and sanctuaries, several examples of genus Acanthaspis of genus Acanthaspis viz. A. fulvipes (Dall), A. were also collected from Singhori Wildlife Sanctuary, quinquespinosa (Fab.), A. trimaculata Reuter, A. siva Raisen; Pench Tiger Reserve, Seoni; Madhav National Dist., A. luteipes Walker, A. sexguttata (Fab), A. flavipes Park, Shivpuri; Jabalpur District and Bansagar Canal (Stal) and A. rugulosa Stal for the first time from Construction Project, Sidhi by the hand picking, net trap Madhya Pradesh, India. Altogether, 42 species of genus and light tarp methods. The specimens were set pinned, Acanthaspis so far known from India are studied through dried and identified with the help of literature available the works of Fabricius [1, 2], Wolf [3], Burmeister [4], in Zoological Survey of India library. Photography of Dallas [5], Stal [6-10], Walker [11], Reuter [12, 13], Distant insects was done by Sony Digital Still Camera-H 10 [14-18], Livinstone and Murugan [19], Vennison and camera. Morphology of bugs were studied by Leica Ambrose [20], Ambrose [21, 22], Murugan and microscope M 205-A. Corresponding Author: Kailash Chandra, Zoological Survey of India, 'M' Block New Alipore Kolkata, West Bengal, India. 226 World J. Zool., 7 (3): 226-231, 2012 Systematic Account: Diagnostic character: Body purplish brown,; head with Family: Reduviidae a spot on each side of ocelli and a distinct, longitudinal Subfamily: Reduviinae (Acanthaspidinae ) Distant, 1902 incision between eyes; pronotum with anterior lobe Genus: Acanthaspis Amyot and Serville 1843 moderately sculptured and centrally sulcate; a large transverse spot almost crossing corium at inner angle; Acanthaspis flavipes Stal, 1855: spot to connexivum above and beneath, coxae trochanters and legs pale ochraceous. 1902. Acanthaspis flavipes, Distant, Fauna Brit. India, Distribution: India, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rhynchota,2:260. Karnataka and West Bengal. 2006. Acanthaspis flavipes: Ambrose, Zoos’Print Joun.21(9):19. Acanthaspis quinquespinosa (Fabricius, 1781): Material examined: 1 ex., PTR, Seoni, Karmajhiri, 21.vi.2001, coll. K. Chandra. 1902. Acanthaspis quinquespinosa Distant, Fauna Brit. Diagnostic character: Body brown; large transverse spot India, Rhynchota, 2: 257. to the middle of corium, spot to connexivum; rostrum, 2007. Acanthaspis quinquespinosa: Biswas and legs, apex of scutellar spine luteous; pronotum with Bal, Fauna of Andhra Pradesh, State fauna series, anterior lobe strongly sculptured, lateral angle spinously 5(Part -3): 342. produced; scutellar spine obliquely ascendant. Material examined: 1 ex., BSCCP, Sidhi, Pochkhari, Distribution: India; Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and 23.vii.1999, coll. K. Chandra West Bengal. Elsewhere: Bangladesh, Bhutan. Diagnostic character: Body black; two lateral and two discal spines to pronotum; a transverse discal Acanthaspis fulvipes (Dallas,1850): spot to corium and spot to connexivum above and beneath luteous; anterior lobe of pronotum strongly 1850. Platymeris fulvipes Dallas, Tr. Ent. Soc.:f.3 sculptured, posterior lobe rugose with a long lateral 1902. Acanthaspis fulvipes: Distant, Fauna spine on each side and with two shorter erect discal Brit.India,Rhynchota, 2: 259. spines between them; scutellar spine long, obliquely 2006. Acanthaspis fulvipes: Ambrose, Zoos’Print Joun., ascending. 21(9): 19. Distribution: India; Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Material examined:1 ex., PTR, Seoni, Karmajhiri, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and West 20.vii.2001, coll. R.K. Singh Bengal. Diagnostic character: Pronotum with anterior lobe moderately sculptured and deeply centrally foveate on Acanthaspis rugulosa Stal, 1863: posterior margin; posterior lobe rugulose, its lateral angles acutely spinous, scutellar spine long, obliquely 1863. Acanthaspis rugulosa Stal, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr.,: 49. ascendant; antennae, rostrum, legs and central disk of 1902. Acanthaspis rugulosa: Distant, Fauna Brit. India, abdomen reddish brown; a large spot behind middle of Rhynchota, 2: 264. corium and spot to connexivum above and beneath 2006. Acanthaspis rugulosa: Ambrose, Zoos’Print Joun., ochraceous. 21(9): 20. Distribution: India: Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Sikkim. Material examined: 1ex. Pench National Park, area around Elsewhere: Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Ranidah Forest Rest House, Dist. Seoni, 1.iii1976, coll. H. Khajuria and party. Acanthaspis luteipes Walker, 1873: Diagnostic character: Pitchy black in colour; a pale ochraceous large spot almost crossing corium in its inner 1902. Acanthaspis luteipes Distant, Fauna Brit. India, angle; anterior lobe of pronotum strongly sculptured, Rhynchota, 2: 260. posterior lobe rugulose with its lateral angle dentately 2007. Acanthaspis luteipes: Biswas and Bal, Fauna of produced; connexivum strongly recurved; scutellar spine Andhra Pradesh, State fauna series, 5(Part-3): 342. obliquely ascendant. Material examined: 1 ex., Jabalpur, Bheraghat, 26.i.2012, Distribution: India; Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil coll. Sandeep Kushwaha. Nadu and West Bengal. 227 World J. Zool., 7 (3): 226-231, 2012 Acanthaspis sexguttata (Fabricius, 1775): Distribution: India: Madhya Pradesh, North and Central India and Tamil Nadu. 1902. Acanthaspis sexguttata Distant, Fauna Brit. India, Rhynchota, 2: 270. Acanthaspis trimaculata Reuter, 1887: 2003. Acanthaspis sexguttata: Biswas and Bal, Fauna of 1902. Acanthaspis trimaculata Distant, Fauna Brit. India, Sikkim, State Fauna Series, 9(Part -2): 529. Rhynchota, 2: 268. 2006. Acanthaspis sexguttata: Ambrose, Zoos’Print 2007. Acanthaspis trimaculata: Biswas and Bal, Fauna of Joun., 21(9): 20. Andhra Pradesh, State fauna Series, 5(Part-3): 341. Material examined:1 ex.,MNP, Shivpuri Rest House, Material examined: 1 ex., PTR, Seoni, Tikari Camp, 07.xii.2001,coll. D. Nema and S. Ahirwar. 24.vii.2001, coll. K. Chandra. Diagnostic character: Posterior pronotal lobe Diagnostic character: Black in colour, legs and antennae, transversely rugulose with four flavous testaceous spots, a round spot behind the middle of corium, ochraceous; a anterior lobe distinctly sculptured, corium with sub basal large sub-apical white spot to membrane with its apex and a larger about rounded subapical spot and large emarginated; connexivum with testaceous spots; apical spot to membrane greyish flavescent, femora pronotum with disk of its posterior lobe unarmed, annulated near apex and the tibiae biannulate; scuteller posterior lateral angles prominent, shortly dentately spine obliquely ascendant. produced. Distribution: India: Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Sikkim Distribution: India, Madhya Pradesh andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. Maharashtra and Northern India. Acanthaspis siva Distant, 1902: RESULTS 1902. Acanthaspis siva Distant, Fauna Brit. India, Rhynchota, 2: 265. While working on unidentified collection of insects 2006. Acanthaspis siva: Ambrose, Zoos’Print Joun., from Madhya Pradesh, additional eight species of the 21(9): 20. genus Acanthaspis viz. A. flavipes (Stal), A. fulvipes Material examined: 1 ex., SWLS, Raisen, Belaon, 19.ix.11, (Dall.), A. luteipes Walker, A. quinquespinosa (Fab.), coll. S. Sambath. A. rugulosa Stal, A. sexguttata