AUTHOR(S)
K. Karthikeyan1 and Sosamma Jacob2

ABSTRACT

The Rice blue beetle, Leptispa pygmaea Baly,reported earlier as a minor pest, is recently attaining the status of a majorpest by causing much concern in several rice growing tracts of Palakkad,Kannurand Kasaragod districts in Kerala, India. Attempts have been made for the firsttime in Kerala to study the morphometrics and morphology of the beetle for itscorrect identification and management. The beetle was found to lay oval shapedeggs on the rice leaves and the egg measured 0.20 mm length and 0.12 mm width.The eggs hatched into creamy white grubs with two spiny projections on the headand two tubular projections on the posterior end of the body. The grubs hadfive larval instars and the head capsule of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th instarsmeasured a width of 0.17, 0.20, 0.23, 0.26 and 0.26 mm respectively. The grubpupated on the leaf and was seen attached loosely by its posterior end. Thebrown coloured pupa measured 3.89 mm (length) and 1.32 mm (width). The adultbeetle was metallic greenish yellow in colour with longer antennae, narrowthorax and a long body. The female rice blue beetle could be differentiated byits shorter antennae, broader thorax and stouter body. The antennal scape wasbroader in the female compared to that of the male. The male reproductivesystem consists of aedeagus with two parts of tegmen and siphon.The aedeagusshowed an average length of 1.36 mm and width 0.07 mm (anterior) and 0.10 mm(posterior). The female reproductive system showed spermatheca and two lateralcoxites with an average length of 1.60 mm and a width of 0.52 mm

DOI
https://doi.org/10.57182/jbiopestic.5.0.202-204

PAGES: 202-204 | 11 VIEWS | 5 DOWNLOADS

DOWNLOAD FULL ARTICLE