Exploring Flat Faced Longhorn Beetles (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from the Reserve Forests of Dooars, West Bengal, India

The present study deals with 29 lamiid species under 21 genera of Dooars, West Bengal, India. These include 4 newly recorded species, namely, Macrochenus isabellinus Aurivillius, Aesopida malasiaca Thomson, Pterolophia (Hylobrotus) lateralis Gahan and Nupserha quadrioculata (Thunberg) from India while 16 others (marked by ●) from the state. 1. Introduction Subfamily Lamiinae (Cerambycidae) include members of flat faced longhorn beetles that are both xylophagous and phytophagous [1]. The group appears to be well studied [2]. Globally more than 20,248 lamiid species under 3,052 genera are known [3]. Many of the details for each of the species are also provided [4, 5]. Despite being important from the stand point of forestry/pollination/bioindicator, this group of insects is yet to receive serious attention in India more so in North East India, one of the two hotspots of the country, an area certainly rich in floral diversity. It is therefore necessary to refer the early works done on the Indian lamiids [6–35]. However, none of the workers ever extensively dealt with these insects of “DOOARS.” In the study area, Dooars represents the biogeographic provinces of Central Himalayas (2C) and lower gangetic plains (7B) situated between latitudes 26°16′′ and 27°00′′ north and longitudes 88°04′′ and 89°58′′ east. It includes 4 reserve forests, namely, Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR, 760.87 sq. km.), Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (JWLS, 216.51 sq. km.), Gorumara National Park (GNP, 79.99 sq. km.), and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary (CWLS, 9.6 sq. km.), lying in the foothills of Himalaya. We (saving the second author) for nearly two decades are involved in the exploration of the long horn beetles of the area. Present communication is one such outcome on the lamiids dealing with 29 species under 21 genera. Four of the 29 species, namely, Macrochenus isabellinus Aurivillius, Aesopida malasiaca Thomson, Pterolophia (Hylobrotus) lateralis Gahan, and Nupserha quadrioculata (Thunberg), are reported as new from the country while 16 others (marked by ●) from the state. 2. Material and Methods Initiated in 1993, extremely intense survey is still on in the aforesaid forests for the cerambycids (flat-faced longhorn beetles). Insect samples are collected by hand picking, sweep net, and bush/foliage/herb beating. Many of the samples are collected by operating UV light trap during 18–22？hrs of the day. Further processing of the insect material is done following the recommended practices [36] and studied under Stereozoom Binocular Microscopes, models Zeiss SV11 and Olympus SZX7, each with