13. INSECT MUSEUM

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The centre for Ecological Science has initiated a long term programme to study insect species diversity in Western Ghats. One of the aims of this study has been to develop a package of methods for quantitative sampling of insects, suitable for Tropical Ecologists with modest research budgets. In our efforts to standardise these methods we have collected and preserved over 16,000 insect specimens belonging to 1,789 species from 219 families and 19 orders.

A family-wise break-up of our collection is given below. Insect systematists are invited to visit our Centre and utilise these collections for their work. Any help in identifying these specimens upto the genus or species level will also be most welcome.

LIST OF ORDERS, FAMILIES AND THE NUMBERS OF SPECIES AND INDIVIDUALS ENCOUNTERED IN EACH FAMILY.
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                                       NUMBER OF      NUMBER OF 
ORDER               FAMILY             SPECIES       INDIVIDUALS
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Collembola         Entomobryidae          33            338
                   Isotomidae              5             34
                   Sminthuridae            4              8
                   Poduridae               5             39
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Total              04                     47            419
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Ephemeroptera      Caenidae                1             61
                   Ephemeridae             1              1
                   Baetidae                1              1
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Total              03                      3             63
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Odonata            Libellulidae            2              2
                   Coenagrionidae          4             10
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Total              02                      6             12
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Orthoptera         Acrididae              11            117
                   Gryllidae              10            158
                   Tridactylidae           4             16
                   Tetrigidae              6             23
                   Tettigoniidae           8             17
                   Gryllacrididae          2              2
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Total              06                     41            333
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Phasmida           Phasmatidae             4              6
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                                       NUMBER OF      NUMBER OF 
ORDER               FAMILY             SPECIES       INDIVIDUALS
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Total              01                      4              6
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Dermaptera         Forficulidae            1              1
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Total              01                      1              1
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Embioptera         Oligotomidae            3              4
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Total              01                      3              4
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Dictyoptera        Blattidae               5             10
                   Mantidae                3              3
                   Blattelelidae           6             27
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Total              03                     14             40
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Isoptera           Termitidae              5             79
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Total              01                      5             79
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Psocoptera         Archipsocidae           3              6
                   Psocidae                6             14
                   Pseudocaeciliidae       7             11
                   Psyllipsocidae          1              1
                   Lepidopsocidae          1              1
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Total              05                     18             33
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Hemiptera          Aphididae               5             45
                   Cercopidae             20            262
                   Cicadellidae          112           2196
                   Coreidae               16            134
                   Flatidae                7             14
                   Lygaeidae              23            130
                   Membracidae            13             89
                   Miridae                21            188
                   Pentatomidae           17             47
                   Phymatidae              1              1
                   Pyrrhocoridae           2              3
                   Reduviidae              7              8
                   Scutelleridae           2             14
                   Tingidae                8             43
                   Mesoveliidae            3              9
                   Lophopidae              1              6
                   Delphacidae            16            145
                   Nabidae                 5             19
                   Monophlebiidae          1              7
                   Corixidae               3            131
                   Aradidae                2              2
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                                       NUMBER OF      NUMBER OF 
ORDER               FAMILY             SPECIES       INDIVIDUALS
__________________________________________________________________                   Hydrometridae           1             43

                   Dipsocoridae            3             16
                   Psyllidae               3              6
                   Fulgoridae              1              1
                   Cixiidae                3              7
                   Derbidae                1              1
                   Tropiduchidae           1              1
                   Veliidae                2             59
                   Issidae                 1              6
                   Anthocoridae            2              8
                   Erisomatidae            1              1
                   Dictyopharidae          2              5
                   Cydnidae                2              5
                   Saldidae                2              9
                   Enicocephalidae         1              1
                   Aetalionidae            1              1
                   Unidentified            4              5
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Total              37                    316           3668
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Thysanoptera       Phlaeothripidae        10             19
                   Thripidae               1              3
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Total              02                     11             22
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Neuroptera         Myrmeliontidae          3              3
                   Sisyridae               1              1
                   Hemerobiidae            3              5
                   Mantispidae             1              4
                   Chryosopidae            1              1
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Total              05                      9             14
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Lepidoptera        Noctuidae              12             20
                   Pieridae                1              2
                   Pyralidae               6             26
                   Lyonetidae              1              5
                   Tineidae                1              2
                   Gracillariidae          1              2
                   Gelechiidae             3              5
                   Galleriidae             1              1
                   Satyridae               2              3
                   Limacodidae             1              1
                   Hesperiidae             1              1
                   Microlepidoptera        9             10
                   Unidentified           11             13
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Total              12                     50             91
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Trichoptera        Hydropsychidae          1              1
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                                       NUMBER OF      NUMBER OF 
ORDER               FAMILY             SPECIES       INDIVIDUALS
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Total              01                      1              1
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Diptera            Agromyzidae             9             22
                   Anthomyiidae           13             36
                   Asilidae                6             34
                   Bibionidae              2              5
                   Bombyliidae             5              7
                   Cecidomyiidae          21           1379
                   Chamaemyiidae           3             25
                   Chironomidae           29            369
                   Conopidae               1              1
                   Culicidae              20             52
                   Drosophilidae          24            955
                   Ephydridae              2              3
                   Milichiidae             3              3
                   Muscidae               19             27
                   Mycetophilidae          3              3
                   Phoridae               23            143
                   Pipunculidae            2              6
                   Psychodidae            10             52
                   Sepsidae                6             35
                   Sphaeroceridae         10             33
                   Syrphidae               5             17
                   Tachinidae              5              6
                   Tipulidae               6              9
                   Platistomatidae         1              1
                   Ceratopogonidae        12             61
                   Dolichopodidae         11             61
                   Celyphidae              2             13
                   Chloropidae            28            218
                   Otitidae                7            124
                   Tephritidae             4             10
                   Sciaridae              30            295
                   Itonididae              1              1
                   Tabanidae               1              1
                   Sciomyzidae             1              1
                   Curtonotidae            1              1
                   Dryomyzidae             1              1
                   Lauxaniidae             1              1
                   Empididae               1              1
                   Rhagionidae             1              2
                   Leptogastridae          1              1
                   Unidentified           32             41
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Total              40                    363           4056
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Siphonaptera       Hystrichopsyllidae      1              1
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Total              01                      1              1
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Hymenoptera        Anthophoridae           1              1
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                                       NUMBER OF      NUMBER OF 
ORDER               FAMILY             SPECIES       INDIVIDUALS
__________________________________________________________________                   Aphelinidae             1              1

                   Apidae                  2              2
                   Evanidae                3              5
                   Braconidae             59            125
                   Chalcididae            22             60
                   Encyrtidae             11             27
                   Eulophidae             29             45
                   Formicidae            129           2762
                   Ichneumonidae          59            190
                   Mymaridae               4              6
                   Pompilidae              4              4
                   Scoliidae               1              1
                   Sphecidae               3              3
                   Tiphiidae               2              2
                   Trichogrammatidae       1              1
                   Vespidae                2              2
                   Elasmidae               3              3
                   Tetrastychidae          4              4
                   Pteromalidae           25             35
                   Eumenidae               1              1
                   Cynipidae               6             23
                   Gonatoceridae           2              2
                   Colletidae              3              9
                   Eupelmidae              9             42
                   Bethylidae             15             43
                   Perilampidae            7             18
                   Halictidae              4              7
                   Scelionidae            13             24
                   Torymidae              11             20
                   Ceraphronidae           2              3
                   Diapriidae              7             16
                   Platygasteridae         7              9
                   Dryinidae               3              8
                   Unidentified           28             32
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Total              34                    483           3536
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Coleoptera         Alticidae               2              2
                   Bruchide                5              7
                   Buprestidae             7             18
                   Carabidae              26            912
                   Cassidae                1              1
                   Cerambycidae            1              1
                   Cetonidae               3             18
                   Chrysomelidae          50            448
                   Coccinellidae          20            147
                   Curculionidae          49            594
                   Dynastidae              3             29
                   Hispidae                4             12
                   Lampyridae              2             15
                   Meloidae                3              7
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                                       NUMBER OF      NUMBER OF 
ORDER               FAMILY             SPECIES       INDIVIDUALS
__________________________________________________________________                   Melolonthidae           1             11

                   Paussidae               1              1
                   Scarabaeidae           13             52
                   Staphylinidae          47           1481
                   Elateridae              8             25
                   Georyssidae             2              9
                   Melandryidae            2              3
                   Alleculidae             5              9
                   Anthribidae             3              3
                   Byrrhidae               9             98
                   Scolytidae             12             18
                   Nitidulidae            13            175
                   Tenebrionidae          36             97
                   Anobiidae               6             17
                   Dytiscidae              3              9
                   Hydraenidae             1              1
                   Rhipiphoridae           2              2
                   Sylvanidae              3              4
                   Cucujidae               5             10
                   Mycteridae              1              1 
                   Hydrophilidae           5             12
                   Pselaphidae             5            129
                   Phengodidae             1              2
                   Amphizoidae             1              1
                   Othniidae               1              1
                   Mordellidae             3              6
                   Cleridae                4              5
                   Cryptophagidae          2              5
                   Cantharidae             1              1
                   Mycetophagidae          2              2
                   Corylophidae            2              3
                   Anthicidae              4             15
                   Haliplidae              1              1
                   Throscidae              1              1
                   Phalacridae             2              9
                   Pedilidae               1              1
                   Melyridae               1              1
                   Histeridae              1              2
                   Platypodidae            1              2
                   Scydmaenidae            1              4
                   Lathridiidae            2              2
                   Bostrichidae            1              1
                   Heteroceridae           1              1
                   Ptinidae                2              3
                   Rhysodidae              2              5
                   Byturidae               1              2
                   Unidentified           15             19
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Total              60                    413           4473
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Grandtotal  19     219                  1789          16852
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