PREY AND HOST RECORDS OF MICRASPIS SPECIES (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE) IN INDIA

The ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are considered to be of great economic importance in the agroecosystem because of their successful use in the biological control of many injurious insects. They have a significant role in reducing aphid population. Micraspis Chevrolat is a critical genus of the tribe Coccinellini, which are predaceous both in their larval and adult stages on various important crop pests such as aphids, coccids, and other soft-bodied insects, including aphids. There are 11 species of Micraspis, Micraspis allardi Mulsant, Micraspis cardoni Weise, Micraspis crocea Mulsant, Micraspis discolor Fabricius, Micraspis guerini Mulsant, Micraspis shaffeei Afroze and Haider, Micraspis tenuilinea Walker, Micraspis unicus (Poorani), Micraspis univittata Hope, Micraspis vincta Gorhum and Micraspis yasumatui Sasaji that occur in India. M. discolor is the most abundant and widely distributed throughout India. M. discolor feeds on 16 species of aphids viz. Aphis aurantii Boyer de Fonsc, Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis gossypii Glover, Aphis odinae Van der Goot, Aphis pomi, Aphis spiraecola Patch, Brevicoryne brassicae Linnaeus, Lipaphis erysimi Kalt, Melanaphis bambusae, Myzus persicae Sulzer, Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel, Phorodon cannabis, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae Linnaeus, Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch, Sitobion miscanthi Takahashi, Uroleucon compositae Theobald.. KEYWORDS :Aphids, Coccinellids, Host records, Insects, Micraspis, Prey