S. Chakrabarti

Aphids (Homoptera : Aphididae) from Sundardhunga Valley, Kumaon Himalaya, India

Abstract This paper provides a list of 48 species of aphids collected during an expedition to Sundardhunga Valley in the Almora district of Uttar Pradesh, India and contains descriptions of 2 new species, viz., Eriosoma iongipllosum and Masonaphis (Neomasonaphis) rumicis, and descriptions of some undescribcd morphs of 7 species. Further, 3 species are reported for the first time from India.

Diversity and biosystematics of gall-inducing aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and their galls in the Himalaya

Abstract Aphids (Hemiptera) are one of the important groups that induce galls on plants. A review of the gall-inducing aphids and aphid-induced galls in the Himalaya has been made. Altogether, 76 aphid species belonging to the subfamilies Aphidinae, Drepanosiphinae, Eriosomatinae, and Hormaphidinae induce galls both of cataplasmic and prosoplasmic nature on different plant species in the Himalaya. Gall-inducing aphids mostly occur in the Western and Northwestern Himalaya and 33 species are endemic to the Himalaya. Although the specific gall-inducing generation and the galls on the primary host do not occur in the Eastern Himalaya, some aphids that are capable to induce galls elsewhere occur on secondary host plants in that area. Various types of galls on leaves and stems occur. Generally gall-inducing aphids and their host plants are species specific. A few host plants, for examples, Populus ciliata, Prunus cornuta, Pistacia integerrima, Ulmus spp. harbor more than one gall-inducing aphid. Although gall-inducing aphids are mostly holocyclic and heteroecious, a few species such as Hamamelistes miyabei, Hayhurstia atriplicis, Pemphigus siphunculatus, Pterocallis afflnis, Thecabius qffinis, Tinocalloides montanus, are autoecious. Two-year cycle has been observed in some species of Fordini. Resource partitioning among species occurring on the same host plant has also been observed. A few pemphigine species have soldier morphs involved in either gall defense or territorial fighting for selection of gall-site and protecting galls from the invasion of other clones and cleaning the galls. Trophic relationship of aphids and their galls shows that throughout the growth period aphids obtain a steady supply of nutrients. Accumulation of phenolic compounds above a threshold level plays an important role in the immigration of aphids from the galls. Natural enemies associated with gall-inducing aphids are few and that on prosoplasmic galls induced by the species of Baizongia, Epipemphigus, Forda, Kaltenbachiella, Pemphigus, Tetraneura, are limited. Out of the 24 hymenopteran parasitoids known, 9 species are endemic in the Himalaya. In comparison, all predators are non-specific and none is endemic. Predators include cocconellids (13 species), neuropterans (6 species), anthocorieds (7 species), and syrphids (5 species). Biological studies on these natural enemies have also been reviewed.

Studies on Eriophyid mites (Acarina: Eriophyoidea) of India XVI. One new genus and ten new species from India

Abstract One new genus, Neocupacarus and ten new species, Calepitrimerus adinus, ex Adina cordifolia; C. terminalis, ex Terminalia tomentosa; C. woodfordis, ex Woodfordia fruticosa; Cosetacus citrifolis, ex Morinda citrifolia; Floracarus biharensis, ex Wendlandia sp.; Gammaphytoptus bengalensis, ex Litsea sp.; Neocupacarus flabelliferis, ex Borassus flabellifer; Phyllocoptes tomentosae, ex Terminalia tomentosa; Tegolophus monospermasis, ex Butea monosperma; and Tegonotus birbhumensis, ex Bassia latifolia, are described. Information is provided on the distribution, host-mite associations and the affinities of the new taxa.

Studies on the Eriophyid mites (Acarina: Eriophyoidea) of India-II : Descriptions of three new species from West Bengal

Abstract Three new Eriophyid mites, viz., Tegolophus indica (Eriophydae) infesting Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk. and Tegolophus caloptropi (Eriophydae) infesting Calotrophis procera Br. are described from Kalyani, West Bengal. Relationships of these new species with other known species are also discussed.

Taxonomic studies on Dysaphis Borner (Homoptera: Aphididae) from the Indian subcontinent.

Abstract Fourteen species of Dysaphis Borner are treated from the Indian subcontinent with descriptions of one new species, D. selinumi from Selinum tenuifolium; a new subspecies, D. (Pomaphis) pavlovskyana indica from Sorbus cuspidata, and some unknown morphs — alate viviparous female of D. atinus Ghosh, Basu & Raychaudhuri, and fundatrix and apterous oviparous female of D. (Cotoneasteria) microsiphon (Nevsky). Two species, viz., ghanii Stroyan and stroyani Ghosh, L.K. are synonymised under microsiphon (Nevsky). Three species, viz., brancoi (Borner), tulipae (B. de Fonscolombe) and (Pomaphis) plantaginea, are recorded here for the first time from the Indian subregion. A key to the species is provided.

Chaitophorinae (Aphididae : Homoptera) of India with descriptions of three new species from North West India

Abstract A comprehensive account of 18 aphid species of the subfamily Chaitophorinae occurring in India is provided. Of these, 3 species, viz., Chaitophorus manaliensis, Periphyllus villosii and Periphyllus himalayensis collected from Northwest Himalaya are new to science. Chaitophorus dorocola Matsumura and Periphyllus californiensis (Shinji) are reported for the first time from India and Chaitophorus himalayensis (Das) for the first time from Northeast Himalaya. The descriptions of apterous oviparous females and alate males of Periphyllus villosii, sp. nov. have also been provided- Sipha (Rungsiella) maydis Passerini is redescribed. Keys for separating the genera and specics have been given.

A new species, hitherto unknown morphs, and biological notes on Epipemphigus Hille Ris Lambers (Homoptera: Aphididae) from India.

Abstract The genus Epipemphigus Hille Ris Lambers is reviewed. A new species, E. marginalis, forming leaf galls on Populus ciliata and hitherto unknown morphs of E. imaicus are described. A key to available morphs of Epipemphigus species is given. Biological notes on E. imaicus and E. marginalis are given.

A review of the genus Longicaudus (Homoptera: Aphididae) with descriptions of two new species from India.

Abstract The species of the genus Longicaudus van der Goot are reviewed and keyed. Two new species, Longicaudus cornutus and L. kumauni, are described from western and northwest Himalaya. The apterous viviparous female of L. dunlopi Hille Ris Lambers is redescribed. The relationships of the genus are discussed.

A new genus and four new species of aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) from Northwest Himalaya, India

Abstract A new genus, Indotuberoaphis and four new species, Avicennina indica infesting Prunus cornuta, Indotuberoaphis sorbi infesting Sorbus foliolosa, Neoacyrthosiphon dubium infesting Salix denticulata and Salix sp. and Raychaudhuriella potentillae infesting Potentilla sp. are described from North West Himalaya. The alatae of Raychaudhuriella Chakrabarti have been collected for the first time and the characters of the alatae for the genus, have also been provided.

New and little known eriophyid mites (Acarina : Eriophyoidea) from India

Abstract Two new species, viz. Tegolophus kalyanii and Tetra lanneansis, infesting Trema orientalis and Lannea coromandelia respectively are described from West Bengal, India. Aculops niphocladae Keifer collected from Garhwal. northwest Himalaya. is reported for the first time from India. Besides. 3 other species arc reported for the first time from West Bengal.