Biodiversity and Updated Checklist of Moth Caterpillar-Fauna(Lepidoptera), Damaging Host Tree and Plant Species of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (India)

摘要

This paper deals with 54 species under 44 genera of moth caterpillars of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions of India, belonging to 19 families under 11 Super-families, affecting more than 52 diverse host tree and plant species, including valuable agricultural crops, trees and plant species. The various Super-families, with total number of caterpillar species are: Bombycoids (13 spp.), Cossoids (2), Gelechoids (11), Geometroids (5), Gracillaroids (2), Lasiocompoids (2), Noctuoids (7), Pyraloids (6), Sesioid (1), Tineoids (2), Yponomeutoids (3) The highest number of caterpillar species i.e. 7, has been found to damage plum fruit tree, followed by 6 spp. each, affecting apple and poplar trees, and 5 spp. damaging willow trees. 4 species each of caterpillar, are known to severely damage peach and mulberry trees respectively. Rest of the host tree /plant species are affected either by 3 spp. or 2 spp. or 1sp. of moth caterpillars. An up-to-date systematic I annotated checklist of caterpillar-fauna has been provided. In addition to this, biodiversity of caterpillars affecting hosts of different kinds from vast localities and areas of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, has briefly been discussed.