Search

Carbula indica (Westwood, 1837) (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Pentatomidae) re-described with illustrations based on the material collected from the Himalayan hills of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. New characters are included, along with both male and female genitalia and morphometric measurements to facilitate easy species determination. A key to the Indian species of Carbula Stål, 1865 is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Population dynamics of five different species of grasshopper were analyzed for the first time in Darjeeling (Lebong and Happy Valley) of the eastern Himalayan region of India. The study is based on the relationship between monthly samples collected using sweep nets for three years (March, 2005 to February, 2008) in relation to meteorological parameters (monthly average rainfall, monthly mean maximum and minimum temperatures). The population for each of the five species of grasshopper is plotted against the Aridity Ratio (A.R.). For all species, the population increases at lower A.R. values and then decreases exponentially at higher A.R. values. The exponentially decreasing part of the population is modeled using a simple formula. The monthly population of A. crenulata nymphs and adults in Lebong has also been modeled by iterative equations using A.R. and results compared satisfactorily with the sample data. These works show the possibility of forecasting grasshopper populations using a simple model and thereby easing the regulation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]