J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci. , 6(2S)58-78, 2016 ISSN: 2090-4274 Journal of Applied Environmental © 2016, TextRoad Publication and Biological Sciences www.textroad.com Ladybird Beetle (Coccinellidae; Coleoptera) of District Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan Kausar Saeed*1,3 , Muhammad Nasir Khan Khattak 1 , Muhammad Fiaz Khan 1, Falak Naz 2, Adil Khan 3 and Naveed Akhtar 3 1Department of Zoology, Hazara University, Mansehra 2Directorate of National Coordination, PARC, G-5/1 Islamabad 3Department of Zoology Buner Campus Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan Received: January7, 2016 Accepted: March 2, 2016 ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to explore the Ladybird beetle fauna of district Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Specimens were collected during 2013-14 at 15 days interval from twelve different localities namely Pirbaba, Kingergalai, Daggar, Gokand, Barkalay, Budal, Shaheed e sar, Nawagai, Nagrai, Chinglai, Totalai and Malka. The identification of the collected specimens during the study revealed that there are thirteen species of Ladybird beetle under eleven genera and three subfamilies (Subfamily Chilocorinae, Subfamily Coccinellinae and Subfamily Epilachninae) were collected. These species are Brumoides suturalis, Coccinella septempunctata, Coccinella transversalis, Menochilus sexmaculatus, Propylea dissecta, Coelophora bissellata, Oenopia sauzuti, Aiolocaria hexaspilota, Psyllobora bisoctonotata, Harmonia dimidiata, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, Henosepilachna septima and Afidentula manderstjernae. The numerical data of these species reveals that C. septempunctata , H. dimidiata , C. sexmaculatus and H. vigintioctopunctata are highly abundant and were collected from all localities, while the rest of the species are moderately abundant except A. hexaspilota which is only collected from single locality. Keys to various taxon, diagnostic characters, distribution and colour plates of adult as well as of genitalia are provided here. KEYWORDS: Ladybird Beetles, Coccinellidae, Distribution, Buner, Pakistan. INTRODUCTION Ladybird beetles, also known as Ladybugs belong to the family Coccinellidae of order Coleoptera. They are more or less cosmopolitan and can be found from seacoast to alpine pastures (Majerous and Kern, 1989). About 6000 species under 490 genera of Coccinellidae are known worldwide (Slipinski, 2007). Family Coccinellidae is further classified into six subfamilies namely; Chilocorinae, Coccinellinae, Coccidulinae, Scymninae, Sticholotidinae and Epilachininae. Ladybird beetles are mostly considered beneficial because of their predatory activity and help in regulating pest population of soft bodied insects like aphids, jassids, etc (Khuznetsov, 1997).However members of its subfamily Epilachninae are phytophagous and are pests of important agricultural crops belonging to the family Solinaceae, Fabaceae and compositae (Dieke, 1947; Li and Cook, 1961). A ladybird may eat aphids equal to its body weight every day. One larva can consumes up to 50 aphids a day. (Anwarullah et al, 1966). A single adult consumes around 5,000 aphids in its lifespan whereas an adult female consumes about 300 aphids before laying eggs (Dixon, 2000). Due to its efficient predatory nature, Coccinellid beetles are applied for the management of important pest species. Due to the economic importance of Coccinellidae, it remain focus of interest since the inception of systematics by Linnaeus (1758 and 1767), later on a lot of taxonomic and faunistic work has been done by various taxonomists in the world. In Pakistan, the work on coccinellids is also started from the beginning as a consequence of biological control work from 1957 onwards (Ahmad and Ghani, 1966a). The taxonomic work includes a new species Pseudoscymnus murriensis described by Ahmad (1968); a new tribe by Ahmad (1973) and a new genus by Ahmad and Ghani (1966a). Ashrafi (1966) first time reported two Epilachninae species i-e E. sparsa and E. chrysomelina . Later on, `the important taxonomic and faunistic work on Coccinellidae of Pakistan include; Gilani (1976) from Faisalabad, CIBC (1982), Shah (1983) from Peshwar, Khan et al. (1999a; 1999b) from Bagh (AJK), Irshad (2001a) and Irshad (2001b), Inayatullah (2005) from Poonch (AJK), Rafi et al . (2005), Khan et al . (2007) from Chitral, Khan et al. * Corresponding Author: Kausar Saeed, Department of Zoology, Hazara University, Mansehra Email: [email protected] 58 Saeed et al., 2016 (2008) from AJK, Rahatullah (2011) from Lower Dir, Naz (2012) Ashfaque (2012) from Gilgit Baltistan and Alia (2013) reported 60 species from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The fauna of District Buner is almost unexplored in this regard despite the diverse and unique habitat. Only three phytophagous species are reported so far by Naz (2012). Buner is the district of Malakand division (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) which is mostly hilly area. It is surrounded by Swat in North, Malakand agency in west, Shangla in east and Swabi and Mardan in south. The study area is mostly mountainous and there are some plain tracts in between. Agriculture in this area is mainly focused on tobacco, wheat, maize and to some extent citrus, persimmon and Peach orchards. The biodiversity of the area is facing threat from urbanization, marble industry and tobacco cultivation. Before diminishing of the important taxa from the area it is aught most important to explore and document the fauna and flora of the area and make a comprehensive plan for its conservation. Keeping in view in importance of these useful predators and its blank chapter in Buner district, the present studies were conducted to explore the ladybird beetle fauna of District Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sample collection Extensive year round surveys were conducted at different intervals in the active season of ladybird beetles, during 2013-14. The localities visited are Pirbaba, Daggar, Gokand, Kingergali, Barkalay, Budal, Shaheed e sar, Nawagai, Nagrai, Totalai, Chinglai and Malka. Figure 1 . Map of District Buner (WFP, 2010) The Coccinellid specimens were collected by aerial netting and hand picking. Collected specimens were killed in a killing bottle containing ethyl acetate, into the bottom of which about 1 cm of filter paper was set to absorb the killing fluid. The killing agent was pasted on a piece of cotton. After killing the specimens were pinned with stainless steel entomological pin (Size: 1, Manufactured by Bioequipp, USA). After proper drying ladybird beetles were placed in a collection box. Field data of each specimen was recorded. Identification The specimens were identified with the help of available literature (Kapur, 1958; Rafi et al., 2005 and Xiang, 2009). Identification was mainly done on the basis of male genitalia, extracted by the method of Majerus and Kearns (1989) with some modification. 59 J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci. , 6(2S)58-78, 2016 Photography Adult specimens and male genitalia of each species were photographed with the digital camera (Dp 20 attached with Olympus stereoscope (CZM-15). RESULTS The taxonomic treatment revealed that there are thirteen species of Ladybird beetle in district Buner under eleven genera and three subfamilies Chilocorinae, Coccinellinae and Epilachninae. Family Coccinellidae Latreille, 1807 1807 Coccinellidae Latreille, Thomas Teritus, p. 70. 1899 Coccinellidae Casey, T. L., Journal of New York Entomological Society, 7:71-169. 1955 Coccinellidae Kapur, A. P. Records of Indian Museum, 53: 309-338. 1971 Coccinellidae Sasaji, H . Mem. Fac. Edu. Ser II. Nat. Sci. 21: 55-72. 1982 Coccinellidae Iablokoff-Khnzorian, des. Regions, Palearcticque Orientale Paris. 17. 1985 Coccinellidae Gordon, Journal of New York Entomological Society, 93: 1-912. Diagnosis Body shape mostly round, weakly convex, elongated and often hemispherical. Body Length 0.6 mm to 18 mm and width from 0.78 mm to 12 mm. Body glabrous to finely pubescent. Ground colour red, orange or yellow with contrast marking in black or white, some have brown, few metallic blue, green or violet. Head large deeply inserted into pronotum. Antennae 11 segmented, sometime reduced. Pronotum transverse, usually joined to base of elytra, surface usually punctate, shiny or mat. Elytra dispersely punctate, epipleura more or less developed. Postcoxal line well developed. Abdomen almost with six visible sternites. KEY TO THE SUB-FAMILIES OF FAMILY COCCINELLIDAE 1. Antennal insertion between eyes, Mandibles without tooth at base, front tibiae with spurs………………………………………………………………. Epilachninae 1’. Antennal insertion between eyes and mandibles, Mandibles with basal tooth, font tibiae without spurs…………...………………………………………………………2 2. Clypeus very broad, margins projecting in front of eyes, covering first segment of antennae, Pronotum separated from elytra………………………….… Chilocorinae 2’. Clypeus not broad, margins not projecting in front of eyes, not covering the first segment of antennae, pronotum tightly joined with elytra,……..….. Coccinellinae I. Subfamily: Chilocorinae (Chapin, 1965a) 1965a Chilocorinae Chapin E. A., Bulletin of the museum of Zoology, Harvard University. 133:227-271. 1968 Chilocorinae Sasaji, H. Mem. Fac. Edu. Ser II. Nat. Sci, p. 20. 1983 Chilocorinae Hoang, Vietnam insect, Part 2.Hanoi, 17. Diagnosis Body broadly oval, rounded and dorsally convex. Clypeus expanded on each side in front of eyes in the form of broad plates covering bases of antennae. Antennae short; 7-11 segmented. Genus Brumoides Chapin, 1965a. 1. Brumoides suturalis (Fabricius, 1798) (Plate 01) 1798 Coccinella suturalis