01 Oca 2026 Perşembe
Tri-trophic associations of aphidophagous species of Coelophora and Halyzia (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in India
Abstract : The tri-trophic associations of eight species of aphidophagous ladybird beetles (Coccinellini: Coccinelinae: Coccinellidae) from two genera, Coelophora Mulsant and Halyzia Mulsant, that feed on 40 aphid species that infest 60 plant species with 109 tri-trophic associations (triplets) in 13 Indian states are covered in the current checklist. These include the highly polyphagous Coelophora bissellata Mulsant and Coelophora saucia (Mulsant), which prey on 20 aphid species each while feeding on 30 and 34 food plant species, respectively. They have 39 and 38 tri-trophic associations (triplets), which are found in 11 and 10 north-west and northeastern Indian states, respectively, primarily in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh. Of two species of aphidophagous Halyzia Mulsant, Halyzia sanscrita Mulsant was recorded to prey 9 species of aphids feeding on 9 plant species in Uttarakhand. Most of the aphids belong to genera Aphis, Brevicoryne, Brachycaudus, Capitophorus, Eriosoma, Lipaphis, Macrosiphoniella, Macrosiphum, Melanaphis, Myzus, Rhopalosiphum, Sitobion and Uroleucon infesting several fruit trees, cereals, pulses, oil seeds, vegetable and fodder crops. These aphidophagous ladybirds are mostly distributed in northwest and northeast states of India. Since no attempts have been made to document their tritrophic interactions in several part of India, a thorough survey plan is required to catalogue these aphidophagous ladybird predators in those states and union territories along with their preys and host plants.