Hirdesh Kumar

• PhD
• Research Associate at Zoological Survey of India

Twenty five species under 25 genera and 8 families are reported from Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary (ZWLS) of Manipur state, India. Among the 25 species, eight species from six families (Chorotypidae, Gryllidae, Gryllotalpidae, Tetrigidae, Tettigoniidae and Trigonidiidae) are new records to Manipur along with four new records from North Eastern State of...

Distribution of Order Orthopera in India state wise.

A new species, Xestophrys bengalensis sp. nov., from the West Bengal state of India is described in this paper. The new species is superficially similar to the Indonesian species Xestophrys javanicus lombockensis Carl, 1908, but differs from the latter in the smaller size, anterior femur unarmed on the external margin, and hind femur with two spine...

A new species, Euconocephalus narayanpurensis Kumar & Chand sp. nov., from India is described in this paper. The new species is similar to the African species Euconocephalus lineatipes (Bolívar, 1890), but differs from the latter in the smaller size, more acute humeral sinus, the narrowly rounded apex of elytra and convex male last abdominal tergit...

The present study aimed to study the diversity of short-horned and long-horned grasshoppers of Arunachal Pradesh. Surveys were conducted from April 2009 to July 2010 at three different districts of Arunachal Pradesh, involving seven major localities. Thirty-two species of short-horned and long-horned grasshoppers have been recorded. Among the 32 sp...

Altogether, 34 specimens were collected, which revealed the identification of 20 species belonging to 17 genera and 12 subfamilies under four families of Orthoptera. The maximum number of specimens belong to the family Acrididae. In terms of species richness, subfamily Oedipodinae was the maximum (25%) followed by Acridinae, Hemiacridinae, Oxyinae...

A new species of the genus Gerenia Stål, 1878, Gerenia mizoramia Kumar & Chandra sp. nov., from Dampa Tiger Reserve, Mizoram, India is described here. The new species is similar to the Indian species, G. bengalensis Bhowmik & Halder, 1983, but differs from it in the presence of a dark black oval spot in the middle of tegmen, apex of tegmen comparat...

Two surveys were conducted in Sagar Isalnd, West Bengal one in each 2019 and 2020. Thirty-one Orthoptera species from eight families Acrididae, Pyrgomorphidae, Tetrigidae, Gryllidae, Phalangopsidae, Trigonidiidae, Gryllotalpidae and Tettigoniidae were recorded for the first time from Sagar Island, West Bengal.

Two new species of the genus Elaphropoda Lieftinck, 1966 are described based on the materials collected from Namdapha National Park, Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh. An identification key to the Indian species of the genus Elaphropoda has been prepared along with a checklist of the world.

More than one hundred years after its description, a male specimen of Liara (Unalianus) heteracanthus (Redtenbacher, 1891) was collected at a new locality in the Mizoram State, India. Opportunity is taken to redescribe and illustrate this specimen.

A new species Hylaeus (Paraprospis) guptai Saini & Chandra sp. nov., is described from Jang (Arunachal Pradesh), India. Specimens were collected from flowers of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) during April 2018. In addition, Braunsapis chandrai syn. nov. is recognised as synonym of Hylaeus (Indialaeus) strenuus. A key and a checklist of Hylaeus s...

The present study documented a total of 34 species belonging to 12 genera, 8 families, 7 orders and 3 classes of phylum Acanthocephala from North-East biogeographic zone of India. The state of Meghalaya represents the highest diversity with 21 species followed by Tripura 18, Assam 3, Manipur, Nagaland 2 each and Mizoram 1.

The present study aimed to establish the diversity of short-horned grasshoppers in the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve. The survey was conducted from April 2011 to March 2013 at 29 different localities of Sunderbans. Altogether 19 species of Acridoidea and Pyrgomorphoidea under 16 genera belonging to 13 tribes of 9 subfamilies spread over 2 families fr...

In the context of Indian zoogeography, the DNA barcode data of short-horned grasshoppers (family Acrididae) are limited in global databases. Hence, the present study was aimed to collect selected Acridid species from the Indian Himalayan regions and generate DNA barcode data to enrich the global database. The estimated K2P genetic distances, Bayesi...

The present work is an update on the earthworm fauna of Solan District, Himachal Pradesh State, a constituent of Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. It is based on the field collection and published litera- ture data. Hereby, it is provided an updated list of 32 species belonging to 18 genera and seven families, namely Moniligastridae, Lumbricidae, Ocn...

Orthelimaea himalayana (Ingrisch, 1990) is recorded for the first time from India and its female is also described first time from Central Himalaya. A key to Indian species of Orthelimaea Karny, 1926 is also provided.

A new species of the genus Anaptygus Mistshenko, 1951, Anaptygus shishodiai Kumar & Chandra sp. nov., from Valley of Flowers National Park, India is described in this paper. The new species is similar to A. qinghaiensis Yin, 1984, but differs from latter by length of fastigial foveolae 5.5 times its width in male and 3.2 times in female; apex of el...

Female of Letana mursinga Ingrisch & Shishodia, 2000 is described first time from Arunachal Pradesh, India along with a checklist of Indian species of Letana Walker, 1869. A map is also prepared for its distribution.

In the present paper a new species, Xestophrys namtseringa Kumar & Chandra sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Indian Himalaya. Key to all the known species of Xestophrys Redtenbacher, 1891 is also provided. [Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C18B59A4-30F8-4753-8739-6482D7F5A6B2]

Melitta (Melitta) indica Saini & Chandra sp. nov. a new species of genus Melitta Kirby, 1802, collected from the Uttarakhand, India has been described. There are 50 species of this genus known from all over the world, out of which three species recorded from India. The new species is the fourth species of Melitta Kirby, 1802 from India. A key to sp...

The present study documents a preliminary checklist of bee diversity from Arunachal Pradesh, India based on literature study and the surveys undertaken during October, 2016 to July, 2017. Altogether, 49 species have been recorded belonging to 12 genera under 03 families viz. Apidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae. Family Megachilidae, Genus Ceratina...

The present study documents a preliminary checklist of bee diversity from Arunachal Pradesh, India based on literature study and the surveys undertaken during October, 2016 to July, 2017. Altogether, 49 species have been recorded belonging to 12 genera under 03 families viz. Apidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae. Family Megachilidae, Genus Ceratina...

The present chapter records 556 species of soil inhabiting nematodes from 5 biotic provinces of Indian Himalaya. The maximum number of species have been recorded from North-West Himalayan region with 301 species (41.57%), followed by West Himalayan region with 217 (29.97%), Trans-Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau with 110 species (15.19%), Central Himalaya,...

The genus Sikkimiana is reviewed. One new species (S. arunachalensis Chandra and Kumar, sp. nov.) is described from Arunachal Pradesh in India. Two other Indian species, S. darjeelingensis and S. sukhadae, are redescribed and illustrated; the description of Chinese S. jinzhongshanensis is given also. The new species differs from congeners in the pr...

A new species, Oxytauchira truncata Kumar & Chandra sp. nov. is described from Indian Himalaya. The new species is the second species of Oxytauchira Ramme, 1941 from India. It differs from previously known species by the presence of a comparatively very short tegmen and a truncated male cercus. A key to species of the genus Oxytauchira globally is...

The genus Mesambria Stål, 1878 is reported for the first time from India and a new species, Mesambria indica Kumar & Chandra n. sp. is described. The new species differs from previously known species in the characters outlined in the key to species. A checklist of Mesambria species known worldwide is also provided.

The taxonomic position of the genus Siruvania Henry, 1940 (Orthoptera: Acrididae) is discussed and a transfer to the subfamily Hemiacridinae is recommended. Siruvania dimorpha Henry, 1940 is redescribed and a distribution map is provided.

India, an acclaimed mega-biodiversity nation, represents about 6.4% of the total global fauna in its share of only 2.4% of the total land surface of the world. Biogeographically, the country is divided into ten different biogeographic zones: Trans Himalaya, Himalaya, Desert, Semi-Arid, Western Ghats, Deccan Peninsula, Gangetic Plains, Northeast, Is...

Anaptygus himalayicus sp. nov. is described from Himachal Pradesh in India and A. rectus Ragge, 1954 is redescribed and illustrated. A key to species of the genus Anaptygus Mistshenko, 1951 is provided. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EA667159-420F-427B-94F6-399B4195D42F

The book describes the various methods and measures to follow during the faunal investigations in the Indian Himalaya. Chapters include - 1. Introduction 2. Monitoring Protocol for Mammals 3. Monitoring Protocol for Birds 4. Monitoring Protocol for Herpetofauna 5. Monitoring Protocol for Insects 6. Monitoring Protocol for Freshwater Health 7. Monit...

While undertaking the insect survey in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir State of India, a total of 33 specimens of grasshoppers were collected. The collected materials comprised of 10 species belonging to 8 genera and 04 subfamilies under 02 families of Acridoidea. With the photographs of each species, a key of species is also provided. Sphin...

A Checklist of Acrididae of Uttar Pradesh based on published information and specimens collected from different localities as well as identified specimens deposited in Department of Zoology Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh was prepared. A total of 78 species/ subspecies were recorded belonging to 49 genera and 12 subfamilies. The most dominant su...

A new genus of Oedipodinae, Chinabacris Kumar and Usmani gen. n. (type species Chinabacris trisulcata Kumar and Usmani sp. n.), is described and illustrated from India. The description was based on both conventional morphological and genitalic characters. The identifying features of the new genus are the dorso-ventrally compressed body and median c...

A survey of Acridid fauna in totally different habitats in different regions of Haryana state was carried out during the period from 2009 to 2011. Thirty six species were captured belonging to twenty three genera and eight subfamilies. Oedipodinae (28%) was the most dominant subfamily. Spathosternum pradniferum pradniferum (Walker, 1871) was found...

A new genus of Acridinae, Mesophlaeoba Kumar and Usmani gen. n. based on type species Mesophlaeoba usmanii Kumar and Usmani sp. n., is described and illustrated from India. The description was based on both conventional morphological and genital characters. The new genus is closely related to Phlaeoba Stal, 1861 but differs from it in presence of f...

The genus Hieroglyphus Krauss, 1877 is reviewed and a key to all the species is given. Diagnoses of all the previously known species from India are given. Four species are redescribed and illustrated along with description and illustration of one new species (H. acuticercus) from western Uttar Pradesh. The characteristic feature of the new species...

A study of phallic complex – internal genitalic structures in males – was undertaken in twelve species of grasshoppers, representing six genera under four tribes of the family Pyrgomorphidae. The study revealed that the shape of epiphallus, presence and absence of ancorae, direction of lophi, and comparative size of central membrane of cingulum are...

Male supra-anal plate, cerci and subgenital plate are considered as external parts of male genitalia. Taxonomic significance of internal genitalia such as epiphallus and aedeagus was already known for identification and classification of Indian Pyrgomorphidae. In the study, a comparative investigation of male supra-anal plate, cerci and subgenital...

In surveys on Acridoid fauna 60 species of locusts and grasshoppers were recorded from different localities of Punjab. Amongst these species maximum number of species were from family Acrididae followed by family Catantopidae. Some species from family Pyrgomorphidae were also recorded.

A comparative study on female genitalia was carried out in Indian species of the superfamily Acridoidea. An attempt has been made to describe and illustrate the different structures viz., spermatheca, ovipositor, sub genital plate, supra-anal plate and cerci of female in Acridids with an aim to discover their significance in order to make the ident...