30 Ara 2024 Pazartesi
Arthropod predators of Myzus spp. (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and their distribution in India
Abstract : In this article, the arthropod predators of 10 species/subspecies of Myzus Passerini, 1860 (Aphididae: Hemiptera) are catalogued along with their prey and host plants distributed in different states and union territories of India. Most common specis are Myzus (Myzus) dycei Carver, 1961; Myzus (Myzus) mumecola (Matsumura, 1917); Myzus (Myzus) ornatus (Laing, 1932); Myzus (Nectarosiphon) persicae (Sulzer, 1776); Myzus (Nectarosiphon) persicae nicotianae Blackman, 1987. Predatory arthropods of Myzus spp. mostly belong to one order of class Arachnida, the Araneae (spiders) (9 families) and four orders of the class Insecta: Coleoptera (families Coccinellidae), Diptera (families Chamaemyiidae, Syrphidae), Hemiptera (family Anthocoridae, Miridae, Pentatomidae), and Neuroptera (families Chrysopidae, Hemerobiidae). Among the Araneae, 13 species of spiders were reported belonging to 9 families that prey on Myzus spp. in only 4 states of India. The Coccinellidae (ladybird beetles) is the largest family having 69 species feeding on Myzus spp. infesting 43 species of host plants distributed in 24 states/union territories of India. A maximum 64 species of these ladybird beetles prey on Myzus (Nectarosiphon) persicae (Sulzer, 1776) on 36 food plants in 23 states/union territories of India. Among the Diptera, the hover flies (Syrphidae) are the most common predators having 32 species feeding on Myzus spp. infesting 26 species of host plants distributed in 19 states/union territory of India. Six species of anthocorid bugs (Hemiptera), 7 species of green lacewings (Chrysopidae) and 3 species of brown lacewings (Hemerobiidae) are recorded to prey on Myzus spp. in India. Indeed, very limited attempts have been made to record these aphidophagous arthropods in India feeding on Myzus spp. and most of the regions are still unexplored and need an intensive survey plan to record them.