Hymenoptera: India
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Hymenoptera
Introduction
The order Hymenoptera appeared on this planet during Jurassic period in Mesozoic era, ca. 155 million years ago, alongwith Dermaptera. The fonner is highly evolved in comparison to other insects and is considered as the third largest insect order. They are economically, medically and biologically important. Bees pollinate flowers, collect nectar and store honey and wax in bee hive. Honey is used for feeding and medical purpose; wasp larvae and ant eggs are used for fish bait in angling. The ants show a developed way of social living through polymorphism, in their nest with colony of male, female and workers. They also maintain relations with other insects either as parasites, or harbour in their nests, as with termites. Braconids are used for pest control in agricultural fields and horticultural gardens. Scolid wasp larvae are used to control the population of some beetles. Chalcids bore and damage rice and wheat stems, whereas Cynipids produce galls in plant tissues and retard their growth.
Hymenopterans are colourful also, e.g. wasps and bees; a few are metallic in Chalcids and Cynipids. These insects become pest and damage the plants, when they aggregate in large numbers, as in the case of Carpenter bee, Red ant and Sawfly. The number of Hymenopterous insects is over 100,000 species known from the world, while only about 5,000 species are recorded from India. Parthenogenesis is common in Hymenoptera than in other orders of insects. Though most of the Hymenopterans are entomophagus and parasites, some of them are phytophagus (sawflies). While the bees feed on nectar, .the ants live on sweet granules. The size of Hymenopterous insects may vary from 0.2mm to 50.0mm in length.
They are soft to hard bodied insects, with mobile head, long-jointed antennae; antennae may be short, clubbed and elbowed as in Chalcids. They possess two pairs of veined or almost veinless wings in Chalcids or may be wingless, as in worker ants; mouth parts (with mandibles) are well developed for sucking and piercing. In most of these insects a constriction lies between thorax and abdomen, but it may be absent in some e~. Sawflies. Female hymenopteran insects are furnished with ovipositors having stings or saws. Larvae of Hymenoptera &re apodous or polypodous.
Historical Resume
From the beginning of human civilization, man observed the hovering of bees on flowers for pollen and nectar. Their swarming in bee hive for storing honey, making of tree holes by carpenter bees for their nests, and building of papery nests by hornets on tree branches are common sight. The bitter experience of sting by wasp or bee and severe burning irritations by red ants are also common. All these factors attracted naturalists and paved the path for further study of these valuable insects in later years.
i) Pre-1900
Studies on Hymenoptera can be traced back from the published work by Cameron (1877) on Tenthredinidae. Dalla-Torre (1894-1896) published in 10 volumes as "Catalogus Hymenopterorum" Afterwards, Bingham (1897) brought out his monographic Vol. I, of the 'Fauna of British India' dealing with species of wasps and bees. Still later, Ashmead (1899) published his work on Apterogyna (Mutillidae) and its allies.
ii) 1901-1947
Bingham (1903) published his Vol.II, of the 'Fauna of British India', covering 'ants' (Formicidae) and cuckoo wasps (Chrysididae). Turner (1912) brought out a monograph on Indian species of Cerceris (Sphecoidea) and Elis (Scoloidea). Subsequently Morley (1913) published the monographic Fauna volume III, for British Indian species on Ichnenmonoidea. Rohwer (1915) published the work on Tenthredinidae and Ayyar (1924) made a checklist ofchalcids (Chalcidoidea). Emery (1925) brought out the catalogue on world Formicidae. In later years, Wilkinson (1928) made some papers on Braconidae, Maa (1938) published a,work on Xylocopa (Apoidea). Mani (1938) did a monographic work for the catalogue ora chalcids and Soika (1947) made a revisionary work on Eumenes (Vespoidea).
ii) 1948-1990
Chapman and Capco (1951) published a checklist of Asian ants. Van der Vecht (1952) did some work on Oriental Ceratina (Apoidea). Alam (1952) brought out a work on biology of Stenobracon deesae (family: Braconidae). Kurian (1954) worked on Oriental Bethyloidea, Nixon (1965) published the reclassification of Microgasterinae (Braconidae). Linsenmair (1968) revised the family Chrysididae. Mani et al., (1973) brought out some publications on Chalcidoidea. Sharma (1982) recorded several Indian species on Braconidae. Saraswat (1982) worked on Scelionids (Proctotrupoidea) and Mani (1989) made his monographic volume in 'Fauna' series on Chalcidoidea.
Studies from Different Environs
Studies on Hymenoptera along with other insects, were carried out in India, even during the pre independent period by the entomologists from different ecosystems, like agricultural fields, horticultural gardens, forests, and other plantations and the results were published in differen~ scientific journals. Since 1907 study on the group was initiated by the scientists of the Indian Museum and later Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta. Based on the collections brought from different ecosystems a number of papers were published. In recent times collections of Hymenopteran insects have been made from Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Tripura, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Is.
Classified Treatment and Estimation of Taxa
the Order Hymenoptera is divided into two suborders: Apocrita and Symphyta.
A. Apocrita : With a narrow constriction of body between thorax and abdomen and having 11 superfamilies (Apoidea, Vespoidea, Scoloidea, Formicoidea, Ichneumonoidea, Chalcidoidea, Bethyloidca, Cynipoidea, Evanoidea, Proctotrupoidea and Ceraphronoidea). Superfamily I. Apoidea
This superfamily includes 11 families namely Apidae, Andrenidae, Anthophoridae, Bombyliidae, Bremidae, Ceratinidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, Nomidae and Xylocopidae. In India, Apoidea is represented by over 350 species and in the world by about 100,000 species. Superfamily II. Vespoidea
The superfamily includes 3 families, namely Eumenidae, Vespidae and Masaridae. In India, Vespoidea is known by 200 species' and in the world by over 600 species. Superfamily III. Scoloidea
Scoloidea is represented by 5 families, namely Mutillidae, Pompiliilae, Scoliidae, Sphecidae and Thynnidae. In India, the superfamily is represented by over 600 species whereas in the world by over 1,500 species.
Areas surveyed for Hymenoptera
Superfamily IV. Formicoidea
Formicoidea includes the family Formiciclae with 5 subfamilies namely Componotinae, Dorylinae, Dolichoderinae, Myrmecinae and Ponerinae. In India, Formicoidea is known by over 500 species, whereas species recorded from the world is over 2,000. Superfamily V. Ichneumonoidea
Ichneumonoidea includes 2 families, Ichneumomidae (dealt separately in this volume) and Braconidae. The latter has 17 subfamilies; viz., Agathidinae, Alysinae, Aphidinae, B•raconinae, Calyptinae, Cheloninae, Cosmophorinae, Doryctinae, Eulophorinae, Exothecinae, Helconinae, Hybrizoninae, Macrocentrinae, Microgasterinae, Mymagathidinae, Neoneurinae and Rogadininae. Braconidae is known by 250 species in India, whereas from the world it is represented by over 7,000 species. Superfamily VI. Chalcidoidea
This superfamily includes 11 families; viz., Agaontidae, Chalcididae, Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Mymaridae, Perilampidae, Pteromalidae, Torymidae and Trichogrammatidae. In India, Chalcidoidea is known by over 1039 species, whereas over 30,000 species are recorded from the world. Superfamily VII. Bethyloidea
Bethyloidea includes 6 families, viz., Chrysididae, Bethylidae, Dryinidae, Emboleneidae, Loboscelidae and Scelogibbidae. In India, over 200 species and from the world•over 2,000 species were reported. Superfamily VIII. Prototrupoidea
This superfamily includes 7 families; viz., Proctotrupidae, Scelionidae, Diapriidae, Heloridae, Pelecinidae, Roproniidae and Vanhorniidae. In India, Proctotrupoidea is known by nearly 100 species, whereas over 2,000 species, were recorded from the world. . Superfamily IX. Cynipoidea
Cynipoidea includes 4 families; namely Cynipidae, Figitidae, Ibatiidae and Liopteridae. This superfamily includes nearly 50 species described from India and approximately 500 species reported from the world. Superfamily X. Evanoidea
Evanoidea includes 3 families: viz., Evaniidae, Gasteruptidae and Aulacidae. In India, the superfamily is known by nearly SO species, whereas from the world approximately 350 species were recorded. Superfamily XI. Ceraphronoidea
The superfamily is known by a single family Ceraphronidae. In India, it is represented by 5 species and in the world by 35 species.
B. Symphyta : With a broad constriction of body between thorax and abdomen and having four superfamilies; viz., Tenthredinoidea, Cephoidea, Megalodontoidea and Siricoidea. Superfamily I. Tenthredinoidea
The superfamily includes 6 families; viz., Tenthredinidae, Argiidae, Blasticotonidae, Cimbicidae, Diprionidae and Pergidae. Tenthredinoidea is known from India by nearly 200 species. whereas over 2,000 species were recorded from the world. Superfamily II. Cephoidea
Cephoidea is known by a single family Cephidae and includes 5 species from India ana about 100 species belonging to 13 genera from the world. Superfamily In. Megalodontoidea
The superfamily includes one family Xyelidae of which 2 species are known from India •and 15 species belonging to 5 genera are known from the world. Superfamily IV. S iricoidea
Siridoidea is known by two families viz., Siricidae and Orussidae. Siricidae is known from India by 5 species and from the world by 85 species belonging to 9 genera; whereas in Orussidae 3 species are known from India and 66 species belonging to 14 genera from the world.
Cutrent Studies
Studies on Hymenoptora are currently being carried out by the scientists of the Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta, based on collections from different ecozones. Outside Zoological Survey of India, studies are being carried out in the State Agricultural f~m, Chinsura (Hooghly); Agricultural Research Institute (under ICAR), Barrackpore (North 24':Parganas); North Bengal University (Zoology Deparunent), Darjeeling and Agricultural University, Kalyani (Nadia); all in West Bengal; Genda Singh Sugarcane Breeding and Research Institute (Deoria), Pantnagar Krishi Viswavidyalaya (Nainital) both in U.P.; Punjabi University (Zoology Department), Patiala, Punjab; International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics (patancheru), Andhra Pradesh; Rice Research Institute (Cuttack), Orissa; Loyola College (Zoology Dept.), Madras, Tamil Nadu; Calicut University (Zoology Dept.), Kerala and Rajrishi Autonomous College (Zoology Dept.), Alwar, Rajasthan.
Expertise India
In ZSI
J. K. Jonathan, K. K. Ray, S. B. Roy, R.N. Tiwari [Formicidae], B. G. Kundu, S. Roychowdhuri, S. N. Ghosh, all of ZSI., M-Block, New Alipore, Calcutta-700053.
S. K. Gupta, ZSI, Northern Regional Station, 218, Kaulagarh Road, Debra Dun, U.P. [Scoliidae ].
Elsewhere
M. S. Mani, Department ofZoology, Presidency College, Madras. [Chalcidoidea]. S. I. Farooqui, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-12. [Pteromalidae] .
K. J. Joseph, Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Trichur-680654, Kerala. [Chalcidoidea]. T. C. Narendran, University of Calicut, Calicut 673635 Kerala. [Chalcidoidea].
Sujauddin, Depu. of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202001. [Aphididae]. S. A. Shafee, Section of Entomology, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 20200 1.
S. K. Sharma, SL John's College, Agra 282002. [Scelionidae]. V. Sharma, Department of Zoology, Jodhpur University, Rajasthan. [Braconidae]. D. Singh, Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala 147002. [Tenthredinidae]. R. K. Gupta, Department of Zoology, Rajrishi Autonomous College, Alwar 301001 Rajasthan. [Megachilidae].
Abroad
B. R. Subba Rao, Commoflwealth Institute of Entomology~ British Museum Natural History, London, England. [Chalcidoidea].
B. Patterson, Universitets Zoologiske Museum, Kombenhan, Denmark. [Aculeate Hymenoptera].
J. G. Betrem, 65, Rubensstraat, Venentar, Holland. [Scoliidae].
R. D. Shenefelt, Department of EntQmology, Russel Laboratories, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, U.S.A. [BraconidaeJ.
D. L. J. Quicke, Department of Zoology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S 10 21N, U.K. [BraconidaeJ.
Selected References
Bingham, C. T. 1897.: The Fauna ofBritish India. Hymemoptera, 1 : 1-564.
Bingham, C. T. 1903. The Fauna ofBritish India. Hy~noptera, 1 : 1-496. Chhotani, O. B. &Ray, K. K. 1975. Fauna of Rajasthan, India, Hymenoptera, Rec. zool. SJUV.
India, 71 : 13-49. Dalla-Torre, C. o. 1896-1897. Catalogues Hymenopterorum, Apidae 10 : 1-643; Sphogidae,8 : 1-797. Maa. T. C. 1938. The Indian Species of the Genus Xylocopa Latr. (}lymenoptera), Rec. Indian Mus., 40': 265-329. Mani. M. S. 1989. The Fauna ofIndia and adjacent countries: Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera), Pt.I : 1-1067; Pt.II : 1-1633. Shenefelt. R.D. 1910, 1913. 1976. Hymenopterorum Catalogus (Braconidae), Pt.3 (1973) : 307¬428; Pt.l0. (1973) : 813-936; Pt.13 (1976) : 1264-1424.
