01 Oca 2026 Perşembe
An updated checklist of tri-trophic associations of aphidophagous species of Harmonia Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in India
Abstract : The present study addresses the tri-trophic relationships involving five species of Harmonia Mulsant (Coccinellini: Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) (Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Harmonia dimidiata (Fabricius), Harmonia eucharis (Mulsant), Harmonia octomaculata (Fabricius), Harmonia sedecimnotata (Fabricius)), were identified as aphidophagous in India. The most polyphagous species, Harmonia dimidiata, feeds on 42 aphid species, while Harmonia eucharis and Harmonia octomaculata feed on 37 and 22 aphid species, respectively. All these species have been recorded as predators of 64 aphid species that infest 102 plant species across 21 states and union territories of India. Most tri-trophic associations (triplets) of Harmonia species are documented in Uttar Pradesh (52 triplets), followed by Manipur (47 triplets), Uttarakhand (44 triplets), Jammu and Kashmir (26 triplets), and several other states with 1-18 triplets. The result reveals that the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, was preyed upon by the most Harmonia species (5 species), followed by Aphis craccivora Koch, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann), Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach), Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) (4 species each). The Harmonia are mainly associated with aphids that attack brassica crops (28 triplets) and oak trees (24 triplets). In addition, the predators feed on aphids attacking several agricultural crops like vegetables, cereals, pulses and fruit trees such as almond, apple, peach, plum, and lemon. It is important to highlight that documentation initiatives for these aphidophagous coccinellids in India have been limited. These aphidophagous ladybirds are mostly distributed in northwest, northeast and peninsular regions of India. Since no attempts have been made to document their tritrophic interactions in unexplored portions of India, a thorough survey method is required to catalogue these aphidophagous ladybird predators in those states and union territories. This checklist will be a significant tool for taxonomists, researchers, academics, conservation managers, and policymakers to ensure the effective use of these natural enemies in biological or natural control strategies for aphids.