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Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
The present paper deals with a total of 64 species of beetles and weevils (Coleoptera), belonging to 52 genera, under 14 families, associated with diverse species of forest and mulberry plantations, occurring in vast areas and localities of Jammu and Kashmir State. The Coleopteran species of forestry and mulberry importance accounts for 73.43 % and 35.93 % respectively. The Coleopteran-fauna (47 spp.), spread over 12 families, is found to be infesting forest trees,viz. Ash, Benne, Birch, Conifers, Elms, Ivy, Maple, Oak, Parrotia, Plane tree, Poplars, Robinia, Salix, and Yew. Of these trees, Pines showed highest number of Coleopteran species i.e. 18, under 6 families, followed by Poplars, with 15 spp. (4 families) and Cedars, having 14 spp. (4 families) The Mulberry plantations (Morus spp.) both endemic as well as exotic, have been observed to be infesting 23 spp. of Coleopterans, distributed over 6 families. The Cerambycidae family is a dominant family, with 7 spp., associated with mulberry trees. This family in dominance is followed by Coccinellidae and Scarabaeidae, having 4 spp. each. An up-to-date systematic faunal Checklist has been provided. Besides this, information on biodiversity has been given.
