Dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) fauna of Bangalore, Karnataka

3 Pages·1997·1.9 MB·

by  K Veenakumari

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 171
species is not commonly found in its range. (1991) recorded this species from the rivers of
Moyar river originates in the Nilgiri hills at Deccan, viz. River Inderanee, River Indrayani (type
m
an altitude ofabout 1800 and drainsinto theLower locality), River Krishna, IJjni wetland etc., but
Bhavani dam at280 in. Itcuts the Sigurplateau from mostly from Maharashtra, and it has not been
the Mysore plateau to the north and forms a natural reported from Tamil Nadu earlier. Therefore, the
boundary between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It presentrecord ofthis fish in theMoyarriverextends
flows through the well-forested areas ofMudumalai its range of distribution in southern India.
Wildlife Sanctuary, Sigur reserve forest and Moyar
Reserve Forest, for almost its full length. Hitherto, Acknowledgement
four individuals of Nukta species of fish have been
recorded from this river. Occurrence ofTorkhudree, Our sincere thanks to the Forest Department
a rare and threatened fish and Puntius ofTamil Nadu for permission to work in the forests
mudumalaiensis, an endemic species ofMoyar river along Moyar river. Our thanks are also due to
ofMudumalai Wildlife Sanctuaryhereisremarkable. Mr. Kaliyappan,' our efficient field assistant.
Downstream, poaching pressureishigh and thisriver
M
needs to be protected for its fish diversity. February 23, 1996 A. ANIMEKALAN
SINGH
D.F.
&
Earlier records: Salim Ali Centrefor Ornithology
Sykes (1841), Day (1877, 1889), Hora (1942), Natural History,
Suter (1944), Kalawar and Kelkar (1956), Yazdani Kalampalayam P.O.,
and Singh (1990), Singh (1990), Talwar andJhingran Coimbatore-641 010.
References
Day. F (1877): Fishes of India. Today & Tomorrow’s Book district. Rec. ZooL Surv. India 86(1): 83-91.
Agency, New Delhi. 543 pp. Suter, M. (1944): Newrecord offish from Poona.7. Bombay
(1889): The Fauna of British India, including not. Hist. Soc. 44(3): 408-414.
Ceylon and Burma. Fishes. Taylor and Francis, London. Sykes, W.H. (1841): On the fishes ofDukhun. Trans. ZooL
Vol. I: 548 pp. Soc. Land, 2: 349, pi. LX-XLVIII.
Hora, S.L. (1942): Notes on fishes in the Indian Museum. Talwar, P.K. & A.G. Jhingran (1991): Inland Fishes. Vol. I:
XLIII. On the systematic position of Cyprinus nukta 297-298. Vol. I & II. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt.
Sykes. Rec. Indian Mus., 44(1): 10-14. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
Kalawar, A.G. & C.L. Kelkar (1956): Fishes ofKolhapur. Yazdani, G.M. & D.F. Singh(1990): On thefish resourcesof
7. Bombay not. Hist. Soc. 53(4): 669-679. Ujni wetland, Pune, Maharashtra, 7. Bombay nat. Hist.
Singh, D.F. (1990): Ichthyofauna of Maharashtra- Dhulia Soc. 87: 157-160.
DUNG BEETLE (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE: SCARABAEINAE) FAUNA
29.
OF BANGALORE, KARNATAKA
India, like other tropical countries, has a rich during 1981-1985. This surveyrevealed thepresence
scarabaeid fauna, but in spite of overwhelming of61 species (Table 1) ofScarabaeinae belonging to
numbers they rarely make their presence felt. Not three tribes. Of these, 33 are being reported for the
much work has been done on the fauna ofthis group first time from Bangalore. Members of the tribe
of beetles after Arrow (193Din his comprehensive Panelini were not encountered. The great majority
account on Indian scarabs, reported four tribes, 26 of the species belong to the genus Onthophagus.
A
genera and 354 species. survey was conducted in Seven species viz.,Heliocoprisgigas. Onthophagus
and around Bangalore to study the dung beetle fauna ratnosellus, O. negligens, O. vividus, O. faveri, O.
172 JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol.94 (1997)
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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 173
VEENAKUMARI
brevicollis and O. brahmareportedby Arrow (1931 February 23, 1996 K.
from Bangalore were not found during this study. Central Agricultural Research Institute,
P.B. No, 181, Port Blair, Andamans.
Acknowledgement
VEERESH
G. K.
We thank Dr. R. Madge ofthe Natural History Vice Chancellor,
Museum (London) forhelping usto identify thedung University ofAgricultural Sciences,
G.K.V.K., Bangalore, 560065.
beetles.
References
Arrow, G.J., (1931): The Fauna of British India. Coleoptera, Lamellicomia, Part ID, (Coprinae). Today and Tomorrow’s
Printers and Publishers, New Delhi.
FIRST RECORD OF DIRHINUS ALTICORNIS (MASI) AND ANNECKEIDA
30.
ANGUSTIFRONS BOUCEK (HYMENOPTERA: CHALCIDOIDEA) FROM INDIA
(With three text-figures)
During the faunal exploration of tropical pronotum depressed with an impunctate shagreened
rainforests of Western Ghats by Zoological Survey area. In males the antenna ispeculiar with a spatulate
of India, Western Ghats Field Research Station, club.
Calicut, two interesting chalcids were collected from Specimen examined: 1 female, india: Kerala,
semievergreen forest patches in Coorg district Aniyad (Kannavam RF), 1. ii. 1995, Coll, P.M.
(Karnataka) and Kannur district (Kerala). Sureshan et al.
Dirhinus Dalman, one of the most distinctive Anneckeida Boucek, an African genus of
genera ofthe family Chalcididae is distributed in all Torymidae is represented by four Oriental species
warmer countries ofthe world, Africa, Europe, Asia, from West Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, and East
Australia and Pacific islands. Members ofthis genus Malaysia, apart from the typespecies from Rhodesia
areparasitic on puparia ofvarious Diptera, especially (Africa). A. angustifrons was originally described
Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae and also of by Boucek (1978) based on a female specimen
certain Tephmidae. collected from Thailand. One female specimen of
Dirhinus alticornis (Masi), a remarkable this species was collected by me from a forest patch
species of the genus was originally described from at Chitekanum, falling under the Sampage reserve
Philippines by Masi (1927) under the name forests of Coorg district, Karnataka. This record
Pareniaca alticornis. Narendran (1989) examined a constitutes its rediscovery from the Oriental Region
male specimen of alticornis from Philippines. One subsequent to theoriginal description and provesthe
female specimen ofthe species was collected by me extension of its distribution to Peninsular India.
from a semievergreen forestpatch at Aniyad, falling Like all other Oriental speciesA. angustifrons
under the Kannavam RF of Kannur district, Kerala. also has hind femur with a ventral comb of teeth
The present record ofD. alticornis (Masi) from the which begins with a conspicuous larger tooth. The
Western Ghats proves the further extension of its species is also characterised by a face with inner
distribution to peninsular India and the third record orbits, distinctly converging upwards frons only0.25
from the Oriental Region. x the breadth ofhead and the ocelli in acute angular
D. alticornis is acharacteristic species having triangle, with lateral ones virtually touching the eyes.
the anterior inner edge of its frontal horn crenulate Specimen examined: 1 female, india:
with an additional tooth on the outer edge. It has a Karnataka, Chitekanum (Samapge R.F.), 4.iii. 1994,
strong facial tooth, and the posterior median area of Coll, P.M. Sureshan et al.