Arka Mukherjee

The Harnischia complex of the tribe Chironomini (Diptera: Chironomidae) comprises 20 genera. In the present study, we contribute to the taxonomic understanding of the genera Beckidia Sæther, Cryptochironomus Kieffer, and Cryptotendipes Beck and Beck of this complex in India. Our study employed an integrative taxonomic approach, incorporating morphological characteristics and molecular tools, to describe a new Cryptotendipes species. The genus Cryptotendipes , which comprises 26 species globally, is represented by five species in India, including the species that is newly described in the present study. In addition, we report new faunistic records for Beckidia hirsti (Freeman, 1957) and Cryptochironomus tamaichimori Sasa in Sasa and Kawai, 1987 for the first time from India.

Coffin flies (Diptera: Phoridae) are crucial to forensic studies because they can inhabit coffins or be found on buried corpses, thus aiding in determining the postmortem interval (PMI) and body relocation in criminal cases. But phorid flies are hard to identify because they are small, have cryptic appearances, and lack the proper taxonomic expertise to quickly identify both adult and larval forms. Thus, entomologists tend to concentrate increasingly on alternative methods to expedite the identification process and circumvent this problem. A short mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene fragment is a potent marker for accurate molecular identification and robust phylogenetic analysis. Three phorid fly species, belonging to the genera Megaselia and Puliciphora, were collected in the current study to evaluate the effectiveness of the COI gene in identifying them. Seven sequences representing three species were generated and uploaded to GenBank and BOLD. COI barcodes successfully differentiated between species, with Kimura-2-Parameter (K2P) intraspecific and interspecific genetic divergences ranging from 0% to 1% and 14.5% to 34.1%, respectively. NJ (Neighbour-Joining), ML (Maximum-Likelihood), and BA (Bayesian Analysis) methods demonstrated strong reciprocal monophyly and accurate species differentiation. This study provides the first COI barcodes of M. rufipes and P. borinquenensis from India. The present study demonstrates the reliability of COI barcoding as a molecular method for identifying phorid species. Forensic entomological evidence would be improved by the inclusion of regional COI sequences in reference libraries, such as GenBank and BOLD, thus serving as essential forensic markers for criminal investigations and wildlife poaching cases.

Flies, especially those from the Calliphoridae family, play a crucial role in decomposition and are the first to colonize a cadaver. Firstly, accurate species identification is a prerequisite for entomological evidence-based calculation of postmortem interval (PMI). While morphological criteria for identifying the species of adult blow flies exist, there are either absent or inadequate keys for younger stages. In all phases of blow fly development, molecular identification offers a quick and accurate procedure. It is widely known that mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I has the capacity for molecular identification but is ineffective in certain species. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the cytochrome oxidase 1 gene in the identification of seventeen different species of calliphorid flies involving four genera, Calliphora, Chrysomya, Lucilia, and Hemipyrellia. In West Bengal, 2,977 blow fly specimens were gathered from four distinct geo-climatic zones. COI barcodes were able to confirm morphological identification through low K2P intraspecific genetic divergences (0% to 1%) and moderate to high K2P interspecific genetic divergences (0.39% to 12.29%). The Neighbour-Joining (NJ) analysis demonstrated well-supported reciprocal monophyly among the species. The species grouping was in agreement with morphological and molecular identifications. The four delimitation methods, BIN, ASAP, PTP, and GMYC, used for species identification produced similar results and facilitated the proper identification of species. Therefore, it can be concluded that COI barcodes are a highly successful alternative for the molecular identification of blow flies, facilitating forensic cases and biodiversity research in India.

A new species of the acifer group of the subgenus Tripodura and genus Polypedilum Kieffer is described on the basis of adult male. The acifer species group is recorded firstly from India. The molecular barcoding of the new species is provided. Moreover, molecular phylogeny of all available species of the subgenus Tripodura, along with an Indian key based on adult males of this subgenus have been designed here. Additionally, a world checklist of the subgenus Tripodura has also been furnished in this study.

An updated checklist of the family Simuliidae from India is presented. A total of 79 species of Simulium belonging to eight different subgenera are listed. Eleven species that were not reported in the previous checklist are added here. The present list contributes to a better understanding of the diversity of Simuliidae in India, as well as the impact of Simulium species on the public health of this mega-diverse country.