Species composition, abundance, density and diversity of grasshoppers (Insecta: Orthoptera) in a protected forest ecosystem in the Western Himalayas, India

Abstract

Present investigations were undertaken to know species composition, abundance, density and diversity of Grasshoppers in the Western Himalayas, India. A total of 1269 individuals of Grasshoppers (Insecta: Orthoptera) belonging to 2 families and 14 species were recorded during the study period. On the basis of total number of species Acrididae was the dominant family with 8 species and constituting 87.55% of the total number of individuals of Grasshoppers followed by Tettigoniidae with 6 species constituting 12.45% of the total number of individuals of Grasshoppers. Similarly, on the basis of total number of individuals of Grasshopper population recorded Xenocatantops karnyi Kirby was the most abundant species of grasshopper recorded from the study area followed by Aulacobothrus leutipus Walker and Oedipoda himalayana Uvarov, respectively. Letena linearis (Walk.), Elimaea sp. and Himertula kinnerari (Uvarov) included less abundant species of Grasshoppers recorded during the study period. Maximum population density of grasshoppers were recorded in rainy season (65.0 hoppers ha-1), followed by summer (27.84 hoppers ha -1 ) and winter (12.12 hoppers ha -1 ), respectively. Across the study period Shannon-Wiener diversity Index (H’) was recorded as 2.329 for the grasshoppers. Similarly, maximum species diversity was recorded in the rainy season (2.25) followed by summer (1.96) and winter (1.09), respectively.