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Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2001 | Volume: 1 | Issue: 3 | Page No.: 163-165
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Research Article

Taxonomic Studies of Tetriginae (Tetrigidae:Orthoptera) of Thal Area (Punjab) Pakistan

Abdul Majeed
Department of Agriculture Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Anjum Suhail
Department of Agriculture Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Arshed Makhdoom Sabir
Department of Agriculture Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Muhammad Yousuf
Department of Agriculture Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Six species and five genera, viz., Ergatettix, Euparatettix, Formosatettix, Hedotettix and Paratettix, of the tetrigids (pygmy grasshoppers) under the subfamily Tetriginae have been collected from various localities of Thal Area of the Punjab. Out of these, genus Formosatettix with the species F. larvatus is a new record from Pakistan, while the species, Hedotettix attenuatus, is a new record from the Punjab.
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INTRODUCTION

The taxonomic studies on Tetrigidae of Indo-Pak subcontinent have been made mainly by Kirby (1914) and Hancock (1915). Subsequently a number of genera and species were described by Hancock (1912, 1913), Bei-Bienko and Mishchenko (1951), Pajni and Shaila (1983), Wagan and Kevan (1992) and Suhail et al. (1994).

Very little systematic work has been done on the tetrigid fauna from Pakistan. The fragmentary notes and descriptions available include those of Moeed (1971), Ahmad (1977, 1975) but most of their species needed confirmation. Keeping this fact in view, an extensive survey was carried out in various localities of a diversified area "Thal" of the Punjab during 1994 to 1995 which revealed that genus Formosatettix with the species F. larvatus is a new record from Pakistan, while the species Hedotettix attenuatus is a new record from Punjab.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The specimens were killed in a cyanide bottle and pinned. Most of the specimens were with wings folded on their bodies and legs improperly placed. In order to make a study of such specimens, they were kept in a relaxing jar for 1-2 days, 8-10 specimens at a time. After relaxation, they were mounted on spreading boards and the left tegmen and wing of each specimen were fully spread so that the maculation could be studied.

Hind legs were placed in an inverted "V" position. All the mounted material was left on spreading boards for 4-6 days; then transferred to boxes after labelling for preservation. Naphthaline balls mounted on pins and BHC powder were used as fumigant to save the preserved specimens from the attack of insects. These collections were supplemented with specimens from the students' collection of the Department of Agri. Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

'A revolving stage and a WILD M3B binocular microscope (10X X 1.6X) were used for identifying the specimens up to the specific level. The measurements (maximum length and width) of body, pronotum, tegmen and hind femur were taken with a finely pointed divider and a ruler and their means and standard deviation were worked out. The type specimens have been deposited in the Insect Museum, Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. A list of six species under five genera including their measurements of different body parts along with standard deviation and ratio, distribution and habitat is given in this paper.

Subfamily Tetriginae: It is represented by 6 species and 5 genera.

Genus Hedotettix Bolivar: 1842. Acridium (Tettix), de Haan, Temm. Verh, Orth., p. 167.
1871.   Tettix Walker, Cat. Derm. Salt., 5: 824.
1887.   Hedotettix Bolivar, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., 31: 195,283.

Type: Acridium (Tettix) gracile de Haan: Two species recorded under this genus exactly tally with the published descriptions (Kirby, 1914; Hancock, 1915; Bei-Bienko and Mishchenko, 1951) of this genus.

1) Hedotettix gracilis (de Haan): 1842. Acridium (Tettix) gracilis de Haan, Temminck, Verhandel, Orth., pp. 167, 169.

Image for - Taxonomic Studies of Tetriginae (Tetrigidae:Orthoptera) of Thal Area (Punjab) Pakistan

Material examined: Jhang: Athara Hazari 1 ♀, 11.VI.93; Layyah: Karor 1 ♀ 5 ♂, 20.111.94; 1 ♀ 12.V1.94.

Habitat: These specimens were collected from grasses near the sugarcane fields and along the river bank.

New record: It has been recorded for the first time from Thal area.

2) Hedotettix attenuatus Hancock: 1904. Hedotettix attenuatus Hancock, spol. Zeyl., 2: 151.

Material examined: Bhakkar: Notak 1 ♂, 30.V111.94; Jhang: Athara Hazari 3 ♂, 11.VI.93; Khushab: Oaidabad 2 ♀, 2.IX.94; Layyah: Karor 9 ♂ 16 ♀, 20.111.94;1 ♂ 1 ♀ 12.V1.94.

Habitat: These specimens have been collected from grasses near sugarcane, sorghum and rice crops.

Image for - Taxonomic Studies of Tetriginae (Tetrigidae:Orthoptera) of Thal Area (Punjab) Pakistan

Image for - Taxonomic Studies of Tetriginae (Tetrigidae:Orthoptera) of Thal Area (Punjab) Pakistan

Image for - Taxonomic Studies of Tetriginae (Tetrigidae:Orthoptera) of Thal Area (Punjab) Pakistan

Image for - Taxonomic Studies of Tetriginae (Tetrigidae:Orthoptera) of Thal Area (Punjab) Pakistan

New record: It has been collected for the first time from Punjab.

Genus Formosatettix Tinkham: 1937. Formosatettix Tinkham, Trans. nat. Hist. Soc. Formosa, XXVII: 237.

Type: Formosatettix arisanensis Tinkham: One species recorded under this genus exactly conforms to the published description (Bei-Bienko and Mishchenko, 1951) of this genus.

3) Formosatettix larvatus Bei-Bienko: 1951. Formosatettix larvatus Bei-Bienko, keys Faun. USSR., p. 285.

Material examined: Khushab: Qaidabad 3 ♂ 9 ♀ 2.IX.94; Layyah: Karor 4 ♂, 20.111.94; Muzaffargarh: Daira Din Panah 1 ♂ 1 ♀ 8.IX.93.

Habitat: It has been collected from grasses near stagnant water.

New record: This species has been recorded for the first time from Thal as well as Pakistan. Genus Paratettix Bolivar 1838. Tetrix Rambur, Faun. Ent. Audalus, 11: 65. 1887. Paratettix Bolivar, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., 31: 195, 270.

Image for - Taxonomic Studies of Tetriginae (Tetrigidae:Orthoptera) of Thal Area (Punjab) Pakistan

Type: Paratettix (Tetrix) meridionalis (Rambur): One species recorded under this genus exactly conforms to the published descriptions (Kirby, 1914; Hancock, 1915; Bei-Bienko and Mishchenko, 1951) of this genus.

4) Paratettix nigrescens Sjostedt: 1921. Paratettix nigrescens Sjostedt, Kunf. Sevenk. Vet. Handb., 62(3): 15,17.

Material examined: Jhang: Mehmood Kot 2 ♀ 24.IX.93; Khushab: Qaidabad 2 ♀ 2.IX.93; Layyah: Karor 2 ♂ 2 ♀ 20.111.94; 1 ♀ 12.V1.94; Muzaffargarh: Muzaffargarh 3 ♀ 8.VIII.94.

Habitat: These specimens have been collected from grasses near rice sorghum and sugarcane crops.

New record: It has been recorded for the first time from Thal.

Genus Euparatettix Hancock: 1904. Euparatettix Hancock, Spol. Zeyl., 11: 145.

Type: Euparatettix (Paratettix) personatus (Bolivar): One species recorded under this genus entirety tallies with the published descriptions (Hancock, 1912, 1913, 1915; Kirby, 1914; Bei-Bienko and Mishchenko, 1951) of this genus.

5) Euparatettix ~Was (Bolivar): 1887. Paratettix personatus Bolivar, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., 31: 276.

Material examined: Bhakkar: Notak 1 ♂, 30.V111.94; Jhang: Mehmood Kot 2 ♂ 1 ♀ 24.1X.93; Khushab: Qaidabad 3 ♂ 2 ♀ 2.IX.94; Layyah: Karor 10 ♂ 12 ♀, 20.111.94; 1 ♂, 12.VI.94; Sargani 3 ♀ 24.V111.93; Muzaffargarh: Daira Din Panah 1 ♀ 1 ♀, 8.IX.93; Muzaffargarh 2 ♀ 8.VI11.94.

Habitat: These specimens have been collected from the grasses near sugarcane, sorghum and rice crops as well as river and canal banks.

New record: It has been recorded for the first time from That area.

Genus Ergatettix Kirby: 1873, Tettix Walker, Cat. Derm. Salt. Brit. Mus., 5: 825.
1912, Euparatettix Hancock, Mem. Dept. Agric. Ind., 4: 153-156.
1914, Ergatettix Kirby, Faun. Brit. Ind. Acrid., pp: 69. 1915, lndatettix Hancock, Rec. Ind. Mus., 11: 127-132.

Type: Ergatettix (Tettix) dorsiferus (Walker): One species under this genus exactly tallies with the published descriptions (Kirby, 1914; Hancock, 1915) of this genus.

6) Ergatettix crassipes (Hancock): 1912, Euparatettix crassipes Hancock, Mem. Dept. Agric. Ind., pp: 153-157.

Material examined: Bhakkar: Notak 4 ♂ 19 ♀, 30.V111.94; Khushab: Qaidabad 1 ♀, 2.IX.94; Layyah: Karor 1 ♀, 20.111.94; Muzaffargarh: Sultan Colony 1 ♀, 8.VI11.94.

Habitat: These specimens have been collected near the sugarcane fields.

New record: It has been recorded for the first time from Thal area.

REFERENCES

  1. Ahmad, H., 1977. Key characters of major taxonomic groups of grasshoppers (Acridoidea: Saltatoria) of the South Asia subcontinent and some species of Pamphagidae and Pyrgomorpidae of Pakistan. Agric. Pak., 28: 178-187.
  2. Ahmad, F.U., 1975. Survey of grasshoppers in arid and semo arid regions of Pakistan. Final Technical Report PL-480 Project No. PK-ARM-20 (FG-Pa-212), pp: 500.
  3. Hancock, J.L., 1912. Tetriginae (Acridiinae) in the agricultural research institute, Pusa, Bihar, with description of new species. Mem. Dept. Agric. India Entomol. Ser., 4: 131-160.
  4. Kirby, W.F., 1914. The Fauna of British India Including Ceylon and Burma-Orthoptera (Acrididae). Taylor and Francis, London, Pages: 276.
  5. Moeed, A., 1971. Key to the identification of grasshoppers belonging to family Tetrigidae and subfamilies Acridinae and Oedipodinae of Hyderabad and adjoining areas. Sindh Univ. Res., J., 5: 79-92.
  6. Pajni, H.R. and A. Shaila, 1983. A report on the short-horned grasshoppers of Chandigarh and the surrounding areas (Acridoidea: Orthoptera). Res. Bull. Punjab Univ. Sci., 34: 1-6.
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  7. Suhail, A., M. Yousuf and G. Suhail, 1994. Grasshoppers (Orthoptera) of Pakistan. Pak. Entomol., 16: 67-74.
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  8. Wagan, M.S. and D.K.M. Kevan, 1992. Studies on some Tetrigidae (Orthoptera) from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Trop. Zool., 5: 167-194.
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  9. Bei-Bienko, G.Y. and L.L. Mishchenko, 1951. Locusts and Grasshoppers of USSR and Adjacent Countries, Part I and II. Monston Pulishers, Jerusalem, Israel, pp: 400.
  10. Hancock, J.L., 1913. Orthoptera, I: Tetrigidae (Acridiinae). Rec. Indian Mus., 8: 311-315.
  11. Hancock, J.L., 1915. Indian Tetriginae (Acrydiinae). Rec. Indian Mus., 11: 55-132.

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