Biodiversity of click beetles (Elateridae) of Tandojam

Abstract

For present studies click beetles were collected from various localities of Tandojam. Further examination and identification was carried out at Insect Systematic Postgraduate Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam. Specimens were collected through traditional hand net and on light trap from various localities and were killed in a jar containing potassium cyanide and mounted through entomological pins. To identify the specimen up to the species level, they were run through the keys available for the region in various publications. Images of habitus and genitalia were taken with cameras fitted on microscope. In present study total 73 members of the family Elateridae were collected from Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan. This revealed the occurrence 08 species under three sub-families. Sub-family Agrypninae with five species under three tribes; Agrypnini including, Agrypnus ellipticus (Candeze, 1857) and Agrypnus thibetanus Reitter 1913; Pseudomelanactini with one species Lanelater bipunctatus (Candeze, 1857); Oophorini with two species; Heteroderes heydeni (Reitter, 1891) and Heteroderes lenis (Candeze, 1891). Subfamily with Elaterinae with tribe Ampedini including two species; Melanotus punctosus (Walker, 1858) and Melanotus punctolineatus Pelerin, 1829. Sub-family Cardiophorinae with only one species Cardiophorus vari 002.