C. Selvakumar

A New Species of Labiobaetis Novikova & Kluge, 1987 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from the Southern Western Ghats in India, with Comments on the Taxonomic Status of Labiobaetis

Abstract A new species of Labiobaetis Novikova & Kluge, 1987, Labiobaetis soldani sp. nov., is described from the larvae and reared male and female imagoes from Gadana River in the southern Western Ghats in India. Brief ecological notes are appended. The taxonomic status of Labiobaetis is commented on in light of the morphological traits of the larvae and associated imagoes.

Aquatic insect conservation: a molecular genetic approach

Ecosystem diversity, species richness and genetic diversity are the three major facets of biodiversity which deserve equal attention for conservation. However, genetic diversity is significant in identification of unique populations for conservation purpose. Aspects of DNA barcoding, loss of genetic diversity in cryptic species and examples of molecular phylogenetic and molecular phylogeographic studies on aquatic insects of headwaters from major biogeographic realms are briefly reviewed in the light of prioritization of taxa and habitats for conservation. Special emphasis is laid on identification of evolutionary significant units for effective conservation in the context of global climate change. Current methodologies for identifying potential loss of intraspecific genetic diversity are also highlighted with suggestions on future research priorities.

Contribution to the knowledge of Tenuibaetis Kang & Yang 1994, Nigrobaetis Novikova & Kluge 1987 and Labiobaetis Novikova & Kluge 1987 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from the Western Ghats (India).

As part of ongoing exploration of the mayflies of hill streams of southern Western Ghats, we describe two new species: Nigrobaetis paramakalyani Kubendran & Balasubramanian n. sp. and Labiobaetis jacobusi Kubendran & Balasubramanian n. sp. The genus Nigrobaetis is reported for the first time from India. Tenuibaetis frequentus (Müller-Liebenau & Hubbard 1985) n. comb. was also collected in this area and we provide the first description of this species at the imaginal stage. Brief ecological notes of the three species are added.

Notes about Acentrella (Liebebiella) vera (Müller-Liebenau, 1982) (= Pseudocloeon difficilum Müller-Liebenau, 1982 syn. n. = Platybaetis arunachalae Selvakumar, Sundar, and Sivaramakrishnan, 2012 syn. n.) (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae)

Larvae described from southern India under the name Platybaetis arunachalae, are re-evaluated taxonomically. Platybaetis arunachalae Selvakumar, Sundar, and Sivaramakrishnan, 2012 and Acentrella (Liebebiella) difficila (Müller-Liebenau, 1982), originally described from Sri Lanka, are synonymized with Acentrella (Liebebiella) vera (Müller-Liebenau, 1982), originally described from Malaysia. Taxonomic characters for the species identification are discussed, and a table of diagnostic characters for the subgenus Liebebiella is provided. Eggs of A. (L.) vera and A. (L.) bispinosa Kluge and Novikova, 2011 are figured for the first time; male genitalia of A. (L.) orientale (Müller-Liebenau, 1982) are figured for the first time. Acentrella (L.) vera is distributed over a wide area, including the south of Hindustan, Indochina, Malay Peninsula, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Java, and Lombok.

A new species of the Choroterpes Eaton, 1881 subgenus Monophyllus Kluge, 2012 and a new record of the subgenus Choroterpes, s.s. (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) from southern Western Ghats, India.

A new species of Choroterpes (Monophyllus) is described based on larvae collected from rivers of Karnataka part of the Western Ghats. Choroterpes (Monophyllus) nandini n. sp. can be distinguished from the only other species viz., C. (Monophyllus) monophyllus by the following combination of characters: (i) median emargination of labrum moderately deep, without denticles; (ii) gills 2-7 without tracheation and (iii) abdominal segment 6 and 7 without colour pattern. Choroterpes (Choroterpes) petersi Tong and Dudgeon 2003 is newly recorded based on larval collections from the eastern and western regions of southern Western Ghats.

Report on the occurrence of synanthropic derived form of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) from Royapuram fishing harbour, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract The occurrence of dipteran fly, Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) is reported for the first time from Royapuram fishing harbour (Chennai), Tamil Nadu, South East India. The fully grown third instar larvae of Chrysomya megacephala were collected from decaying fishes near Royapuram fishing harbour. This site is found to be the regular breeding site for Chrysomya megacephala. Larvae were reared under laboratory condition and freshly emerged adult flies from pupae were collected and identified by morphological features and molecular tools. Molecular identification through generation of DNA barcoding using mitochondrial COI gene of Chrysomya megacephala is appended.

DNA barcoding of mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from South India

Abstract In this study, DNA barcodes were generated for 40 species belonging to 32 genera under 10 families of Ephemeroptera from South India. Nucleotide sequence divergences were calculated using the Kimura two-parameter distance model and a neighbour-joining analysis was performed to provide a graphic display of the patterns of divergence among the species. This study demonstrates that COI barcoding is effective in discriminating among the mayfly species of South India, and provides a reference library for their future molecular identification.

Contribution to the knowledge of the mayfly genus Teloganella Ulmer, 1939 (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerelloidea)

We consider the genus Janohyphella Selvakumar, Sivaramakrishnan & Jacobus, 2014 (Ephemeroptera:Teloganodidae) to be a new junior synonym of Teloganella Ulmer, 1939 [=Janohyphella, syn. n.] based on comparative examination of new and previously studied materials from Malaysia and India. Thus, we propose the following new combination, Teloganella indica, comb. n., and provide new or modified diagnoses for this species, T. umbrata Ulmer, 1939 and the genus Teloganella Ulmer, 1939.

A new record of Potamanthellus caenoides Ulmer 1939 (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemereidae) from the southern Western Ghats of India.

Abstract Background As part of ongoing exploration of the mayflies of hill streams of the southern Western Ghats of India, we establish a new record of mayfly. New information Potamanthellus caenoides Ulmer 1939 is newly recorded based on larval collection from the upstream of Silent Valley National Park of the southern Western Ghats. Brief ecological notes are appended.

A new species of Labiobaetis (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from the southern Western Ghats in India, with comments on the taxonomic status of Labiobaetis

Abstract A new species of LabiobaetisNovikova & Kluge, 1987 , Labiobaetis soldani sp. nov., is described from the larvae and reared male and female imagoes from Gadana River in the southern Western Ghats in India. Brief ecological notes are appended. The taxonomic status of Labiobaetis is commented on in light of the morphological traits of the larvae and associated imagoes.