International Journal of Mosquito Research 2016; 3(4): 58-113 ISSN: 2348-5906 CODEN: IJMRK2 An inventory of the authentically identified and IJMR 2016; 3(4): 58-113 © 2016 IJMR classified mosquito taxa in the ‘CRME Museum’, Received: 12-05-2016 Accepted: 14-06-2016 with annotations on its significance in taxonomic BK Tyagi research in India (a) Centre for Research in Medical Entomology (Indian Council of Medical Research) BK Tyagi, A Muinirathinam and A Venkatesh Sarojini Street, Chinna Chokkikulam, Madurai, TN, Abstract India (b) Visiting Professor, Mosquitoes (Culicidae) constitute an important constituent faunal diversity. Consequently their Department of Zoology & preservation in repositories is considered indispensable for both current research and future evolutionary Environmental Science, Punjabi discourses. There are close to 4000 species in the world, of which nearly 10% (403 species) occur in India. University, Patiala, Punjab, There are some museums in India where most of the imperial collections of species are deposited, but India unfortunately a vast part of these has become unsuitable for any serious investigation due to either a state of dilapitaed specimens or improper storage of specimens. Mosquito museum of Centre for Research in A Muinirathinam Medical Entomology, Madurai is however an exception with 242 taxa, with a large number of types and Centre for Research in Medical paratypes etc., taxonomically classified and inventorized. Thus by 2015 CRME Museum assumed the Entomology (Indian Council of status of a resourceful and internationally reputed repository for training scientists in taxonomy and Medical Research) Sarojini systematics both from inland and abroad. Street, Chinna Chokkikulam, Madurai, TN, India Keywords: Mosquitoes, taxonomy, species, CRME, museum A Venkatesh Centre for Research in Medical Introduction Entomology (Indian Council of Notwithstanding endowed with a rich biodiversity, India’s faunal wealth of mosquitoes remains Medical Research) Sarojini yet to be fully explored – hook, line and sinker (Tyagi et al., 2015)91! Most of the taxa of Street, Chinna Chokkikulam, mosquitoes were discovered, inventored and mapped during the British regime during the 19th Madurai, TN, India th and early 20 centuries were described systematically in the magnum opuses on the tribe [8] Anophelini by Christophers (1933) and the tribe Culicini as well as Megarhinini by Barraud (1934) [3], under the world famous The Fauna of British India series, albeit largely outdated at present due to taxonomic vagaries of a large number of taxa (e.g., synonymy, nomen nodum status, inclusion of non-mosquito fauna of Chaoboridae and Dixidae, and even inclusion of certain New World taxa). Both these comprehensive publications combinedly enlisted just over 300 species and subspecies of mosquitoes against 403 recently catalogued by Tyagi et al. (2015) [92], implying that there has been about 25% increase in the total faunal strength. Safe depositories or museums are integral to these centuries-old legacy of meticulous collecting, identifying and preserving. From the beginning when mosquito surveys in India had commenced more or less exclusively in context with malariological research and disease control in the country, the precious vouched specimens were deposited in the museum of the then Central Malaria Bureau established in 1909 (later rechristened as National Institute of Communicable Diseases in 1963 and more recently Correspondence renamed again as National Centre for Disease Control in 2009) (Kaur, 1992) [98]. After the mid- BK Tyagi (a) Emtd. Scientist “G” 1960s when malaria was almost controlled these collections had unfortunately begun to draw (Director) & Director in-Charge, dismal attention and care, and consequently much of it either withered away or dilapidated in Centre for Research in Medical the passage of time, leaving most of the ‘types’ rendered useless to compare. Meanwhile owing Entomology (Indian Council of to extensive malariological, filariological and virological surveys across the country in view of Medical Research) Sarojini emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases even in areas hitherto remaining a terra Street, Chinna Chokkikulam, incognito, new repositories were established at National Institute of Virology, Malaria Research Madurai, TN, India (b) Visiting Professor, Centre, Vector Control Research Centre and Centre for Research in Medical Entomology – all Department of Zoology & being the institutes under Indian Council of Medical Research. The science of taxonomy, which Environmental Science, Punjabi is a primary discipline in the realms of biological sciences, has been recently attracting abysmal University, Patiala, Punjab, interest in India, possibly in the wake of appreciable control of malaria, particularly Plasmodium India vivax cases (from 6.4 million cases in 1980s to 1.2 million cases in 2010s – a fivefold reduction ~ 58 ~ International Journal of Mosquito Research approximately equal to 59.2%). Disappointingly enough for the adults were searched into vegetation, aerial roots, tree holes, taxonomy as a basic biological discipline, once an integral crab holes, pits, culverts etc. Human landing collection was component to the massive global and national vector-borne limited to daytime (forenoon to afternoon) and inside the forest disease control programmes in 19th and 20th centuries, these in close proximity to human habitations (Figs. 2). hard-earned success stories also became its cause of failure to flourish, pushing thereby the entire medico-entomological science to take the backseat in terms of both the quantum of long-term research projects undertaken and financed. One of the exceptions in having stood the test of time has been the Centre for Research in Medical Entomology or the CRME which continued its taxonomic explorations in the hotspot biodiversities across the country, thereby continuously enriching its museum of mosquitoes to an appreciable number of 242 species (including seven new species, viz., (Anopheles pseudosundaicus, Rhinoskusea portonovoensis, Tewarius agastyai, Te. reubenae, Verrallina assamensis, Toxorhynchites tyagii and Tx. darjeelingensis), belonging to 39 genera and 34 Fig 2: Man-biting collection of adult mosquitoes for purpose of subgenera, represented by a total of 1,09,166 fully vouchered studying their orientation for blood meal. specimens exhibiting relevant distributional details. Presently, ‘The CRME Museum of Mosquitoes’ has become a reference In these environs people frequently go to collect faggots and centre for research and training, and serious students from not food materials. Adults were collected using conventional mouth only different parts of India but those from overseas also aspirator and flash torches. The wild caught adult mosquitoes regularly enrol to take lessons. were brought to the field laboratory and identified at species level; mounted with minuten pin, along with field ecology data, Material and Methods and preserved. Additional specimens were preserved in pill Extensive surveys on mosquito fauna were carried out in vials treated with dichlorobenzene. various different ecosystems in the country such as hill ranges of the Western and the Eastern Ghats, mangrove forests in (ii) Immature collection southern peninsular region, West Bengal and Assam in Major emphasis was given on larval and pupal collection in northeastern Himalayan region, and the Andaman & Nicobar rivers, streams, paddy fields, ponds, pools etc., and using Islands in the Indian ocean, during August 1985 to December standard dippers (Fig. 3). 2014 (Fig. 1). Fig 3: Variety of breeding habitats for the mosquitoes in natural ecosystems. Fig 1: Prominent ecosystems rich in mosquito fauna surveyed in different parts of India. Samples were transferred to plastic containers (half litre to 1 litre capacity) using small sieves and pipettes. Extensive (i) Adult collection surveys were made to search material in tree holes (ground level Adult collections comprised resting collection during daytime to 50 ft), bamboo stumps, leaf axils, crab holes, log holes etc., inside the forest and indoor human habitations. The resting using pipettes. In case of deep tree holes accumulating large ~ 59 ~ International Journal of Mosquito Research amount of water, a simple collecting device was developed out (iii) Transportation, identification, and preservation of the commercially available kerosene pump and plastic tube, Pinned specimens of adults were transported either in and employed to siphon out water along with larvae and pupae. tubes/insect boxes or in pill vials from field laboratory to central The collected water was filtered through a sieve, and the laboratory at the CRME, Madurai. Special attention was paid to immature stages were retained and later transferred to the individual rearing of immature. Larvae were reared respective containers. In some cases where tree holes bore individually habitat- wise. They were then transported to the potential for breeding of mosquitoes, they were thoroughly laboratory to have the associated larval and pupal exuvium. scrubbed and the soil with water from the hole was transferred During transit period the adults and larvae were kept in locally to the waiting plastic bags. designed tarpaulin bags to keep them viable at optimal temperature (Fig. 4). Fig 4: Identifying field-collected immature stages and adults of mosquito and preserving specimens in cabinets. Larval samples brought from the field were usually maintained Adults were identified,