Diversity, distribution, and cultural significance of Coccinellidae (Ladybirds) in the Dehradun region of Uttarakhand, India

The present study was conducted in the administrative district of Dehradun in the Indian state of Uttarakhand (Figure 1). Geographically, the region is nestled between the Lesser Himalayas in the north and the Shiwalik Hills in the south, creating a diverse and ecologically rich landscape. Administratively, Dehradun is divided into 8 tehsils (sub-districts) and covers a total area of about 2000 km² (Gairola, 2022). According to the Indian Forest Department, the forested area of the district covers 1608 km² and thus makes up a significant part of the region’s land area (Gairola, 2022; Khan, 2013). The climate of Dehradun is classified as humid subtropical and is characterised by pronounced seasonal fluctuations. Winters are cool and dry with temperatures ranging from 3 °C to 20 °C, making them a pleasant time of the year. Summers, on the other hand, are hot and intense with temperatures of up to 42 °C. The monsoon season, which lasts from July to September, brings heavy rainfall to the region and transforms the landscape into a lush, green paradise. These seasonal climatic fluctuations favour rich biodiversity and influence the distribution of species in the different habitats (Malik et al., 2021). The unique geographical and climatic conditions of the region make it an ideal location for biodiversity. The interplay between the Lesser Himalayas, the Shiwalik Hills and the Doon Valley creates a mosaic of habitats, including forests, agricultural land, orchards and urban areas, each harbouring distinct ecological community.

Figure 1:

Map of the study area and points (red dots) with sampling sites in Dehradun (Uttarakhand, India).

Slika 1: Zemljevid raziskovanega območja in točke (rdeče pike) z lokacijami vzorčenja v regiji z Dehradun (Uttarakhand, India).

The altitudinal and habitat variations of the family Coccinellidae were studied in five altitudinal zones (300 m, 400 m, 500 m, 600 m and 700 m) in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. These altitudinal zones were categorised into lowland (300–500 m) and mid-mountain (500–700 m) zones based on ecological and topographical features. Two sites were selected at each altitude to ensure a comprehensive survey of habitat diversity in the region. The selected sites are shown on the map (Figure 1). The different habitat types, including forests, mango plantations, flower gardens and agricultural areas, were surveyed for the Coccinellidae family at an altitude of 400 m (Figure 2). The collection period was from April to September 2021, using landing nets for vegetation-dwelling species, tapping arches for trees and shrubs and suction cups for small or sensitive species. Larger beetles were collected by hand, while light traps were used to attract nocturnal species. Visual surveys were conducted to ensure comprehensive sampling of all habitats (Achumi et al., 2012). To ensure systematic sampling, an area of 3 ha was randomly selected in each study area, which was divided into 100 squares of 10×10 m². The collected taxa were transferred to glass vials containing ethyl acetate and brought to the laboratory for identification. For preservation, the specimens were dried in an oven at 60 °C for 72 hours. Identification was based on taxonomic keys (Kapur et al., 1956; Kapur, 1963, 1967; Kuznetsov, 1997, Wang et al., 2015) and grey literature. The nomenclature was confirmed using the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, 2022).

Figure 2:

Different selected habitats: (A) Agricultural areas; (B) Flower gardens; (C) Forests; (D) Mango orchards (Photo: Shafkat Jabbar Mir, 2021).

Slika 2: Različni izbrani habitati: (A) kmetijske površine; (B) cvetlični vrtovi; (C) gozdovi; (D) nasadi manga (foto: Shafkat Jabbar Mir, 2021).

From April to September 2022, we interviewed members of the Vann Gujjar and Pahari ethnic groups to participate in the study. Prior to data collection, an exploratory survey was conducted to assess all options and necessary measures. Informants were selected using the snowball method, and only those who showed potential knowledge of beetles were selected for the final interviews. We adhered to the code of ethics of ISE (ISE, 2022), and with prior verbal consent from informants, we collected endemic knowledge through semi-structured interviews followed by group discussions (Hamid et al., 2021; Hassan et al., 2022). A total of 153 informants were selected, including 63 Gujjar and 90 Pahari (Table 1). All these informants belonged to different age groups. Before data collection, the informants were informed about the objectives of the present study and were able to understand them. Gujjar and Pahari are the languages spoken by Gujjari and Pahari people, respectively (Ethnologue, 2022).

A chord diagram with the circle package was used to visualise the distribution of species across the respective families and their altitudinal differences (Hamid et al., 2021; Hassan et al., 2022). The association analysis between habitat and Coccinellidae fauna was performed using a chord diagram in OriginPro (Haq et al., 2021). A Venn diagram was created using the Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Genomics tool (available at http://bioinformatics.psb.ugent.be/cgi-bin/liste/Venn/calculate_venn.htpl).

To quantify species diversity, PAST 4.1 was used to calculate the following diversity indices (Kumar et al., 2022)

• Shannon-Wiener index (H’): Measures species richness and evenness.

• Simpson’s Diversity Index (1-D): Assesses dominance and diversity.

• Margalef’s Index (D): Estimates species richness.

• Pielou’s Evenness index (J’): Assesses the evenness of species distribution.

• Fisher’s Alpha (α): Provides a measure of species richness.

To evaluate the proportional value of the species, we employed Use value (UV) indices using the formula provided below (Haq et al., 2021). Uv=ΣUr/N Uv = \Sigma Ur/N

Ur represents the number of use reports for a particular species, and N reveals the total number of respondents.

A total of 32 species of coccinellids were recorded (Table 2;Figure 3). The documented species were categorised into 19 genera. The distribution of species among genera was very uneven, with most genera containing only one species (Y = 0.0035x + 1.8246, R² = 0.0002). The genus Coccinella was the most abundant with five species (n = 7), followed by Harmonia (n = 4) and Miscraspis (n = 3). Each of the remaining genera contained a single species (Figure 3). It is important to note that varieties of species were identified for the genera Coccinella and Cheilomenes, which are shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3:

The chord diagram reveals the number of documented species classified into different genera from the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. The complete names of the species are provided in Table 2.

Slika 3: Tetivni diagram prikazuje število dokumentiranih vrst, uvrščenih v različne rodove v območju Dehradun (Uttarakhand). Celotna imena vrst so prikazana v Tabeli 2.

The highest occurrence of the genus Coccinella can be explained by the fact that species of this genus are common in a variety of habitats, e.g. orchards, vegetable gardens and agricultural fields (Obrycki & Kring, 1998). The major species of this genus from the present study include Coccinella septempunctata, C. transversalis, Cheilomenes sexmaculata, Hippodamia variegata and Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. Earlier studies by Joshi et al. (2010) documented the common occurrence of the genus Coccinella in various habitats in Haridwar region of Uttarakhand. Maqbool et al. (2018) emphasised the role of Coccinella species from the Kashmir Himalayan region in ecosystem functioning, while Rawat (2011) reported the same species in the Garhwal Himalayan region.

Prior to our study, various fragmentary studies had reported the occurrence of different species of Coccinellidae in the Dehradun region (Kapur, 1963, 1967; Arya & Tamta, 2016; Ahmad & Moin, 2019; Goswami et al., 2023). However, our study documents the diversity of Coccinellidae in the entire Dehradun region.

The pooled data from the monthly insect collections yielded a total of 5,873 specimens, with 45.51% of the individuals belonging to only seven species: Coccinella septempunctata, Coccinella transversalis, Cheilomenes sexmaculata, Hippodamia variegata, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, Oenopia sauzeti and Propylea dissecta.

The dominance of these species is consistent with previous studies. For example, Sharma et al. (2022) reported the wide distribution of C. septempunctata and C. transversalis in agricultural ecosystems in the Doiwala region of Dehradun, Uttarakhand, while Mishra et al. (2018) documented the occurrence of several Coccinellidae genera in Uttarakhand.

The distribution of species across the different altitudinal zones is shown in Figure 4. The study area, which covered the lowlands (300–500 m) and the medium altitude (500–700 m), showed the highest species richness at 300 m with 29 species, followed by 400 m with 24 species, 500 m with 18 species, 600 m with 12 species and the lowest at 700 m with 9 species. This pattern reflects typical trends in species richness at high altitudes, where higher species richness at lower altitudes is due to favourable climatic conditions and greater habitat diversity, while the decreasing number of species at higher altitudes is related to harsher environmental conditions and lower habitat complexity.

Figure 4:

Chord diagram showing the identified insect species at different altitudes of Dehradun (Uttarakhand, India). (“N” is number of species). The full names of the species are given in Table 2.

Slika 4: Tetivni diagram prikazuje vrste žuželk na različnih nadmorskih višinah v območju Dehradun (Uttarakhand, India). (“N” je število vrst). Celotna imena vrst so prikazana v Tabeli 2.

The present results show that species diversity is highest at the lowest elevation of 300 m with a Shannon index of 3.209 and a Simpson index of 0.9535. In contrast, the highest elevation of 700 m showed the lowest diversity with a Shannon index of 2.125 and a Simpson index of 0.8721. The calculated diversity indices for all selected elevations are summarised in Table 3. We observed the lowest number of individuals (291) at an altitude of 600 m, which we attribute to a combination of environmental, ecological and biological factors. Higher altitudes often have harsher conditions, such as lower temperatures and lower oxygen levels, which can limit the survival and reproduction of many species. In addition, the habitat at 600 m altitude may have a lower carrying capacity and harbour fewer individuals. Despite the low number of individuals, the high evenness (0.9245) shows that the few individuals present are evenly distributed among the species. However, the low species richness (as reflected in the Margalef and Fisher_alpha indices; Table 3) leads to a lower overall diversity compared to lower elevations. Future studies could investigate the specific factors limiting population size and species richness at this altitude.

This pattern of decreasing diversity with increasing altitude is consistent with previous studies. For example, Arya & Tamta (2016) reported a decline in the diversity of Coccinellidae at higher altitudes in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Similarly, several studies have documented an overall decline in insect diversity with increasing altitude (Joshi & Sharma, 2008; Joshi et al., 2016; Raghavendra et al., 2022; Schowalter, 2022). In particular, species such as Coccinella transversalis and Hippodamia variegata were found at all altitudes, demonstrating their adaptability to different environmental conditions. The distribution of C. transversalis at different altitudes in Garhwal district of Uttarakhand was also reported by Joshi et al. (2010). Other studies documenting the distribution of insect species at different altitudes are Gurung & Ponnusamy (2019), Saeed et al. (2016), Sharma et al. (2017) and Sajan et al. (2018).

The diversity of Coccinellidae was studied in different habitats at an altitude of 400 metres. The greatest diversity was found in agricultural areas (25 species), followed by flower gardens (19 species), mango orchards (16 species) and forests (8 species). The complete list of species and their assignment to habitats can be found in Figure 5. Agricultural areas (Figure 2) have the highest Coccinellidae diversity, which is due to the abundant prey (e.g. aphids, scale insects), the heterogeneity of the habitat due to different crops and marginal vegetation. The open canopy and favourable microclimate favour their dispersal, while human interventions, such as the introduction of beneficial species, encourage their populations. Taken together, these factors make agricultural areas ideal habitats for Coccinellidae compared to flower gardens, mango orchards or forests. The present results are in line with Obrycki & Kring (1998) and Hodek & Honek (1996).

Figure 5:

Chord diagram showing the documented Coccinellids fauna in different habitats. The full names of the species are given in Table 2.

Slika 5: Tetivni diagram prikazuje vrste družine Coccinellidae v različnih habitatih. Celotna imena vrst so prikazana v Tabeli 2.

From the Venn diagram (Figure 6a), Coccinella quinquepunctata, Halmus chalybeus, Harmonia conformis and Propylea dissecta occurred only in agricultural fields, while Micraspis vincta and Rodolia sp. occurred only in mango orchards, Coccinella septempunctata occurred only in forests, and Hippodamia convergens occurred only in flower plantations. In India, Coccinellidae are mainly found in agricultural areas, orchards, forests and urban areas (Obrycki & Kring, 1998).

Figure 6:

(a) Venn diagram showing the number of unique and common species in different selected habitats (b) Percentage similarity between different habitats based on the occurrence of identified insect species in Dehradun (Uttarakhand, India).

Figure 6: (a) Vennov diagram specifičnih in skupnih vrst v različnih izbranih habitatih (b) odstotek podobnosti med različnimi habitati na osnovi pojavljanja vrst žuželk v območju Dehradun (Uttarakhand, Indija).

Species such as Illeis cincta, Halyzia sanscrita, Coccinella septempunctata, C. leonina, Chilocorus nigritus, Angelis cardoni, Megalocaria dilatata and Harmonia axyridis were found in agricultural areas and flower gardens (Figure 6b). The frequent occurrence of these species in both habitats can be attributed to the vegetation, which provides an ideal environment for Coccinellidae due to the abundance of prey, nectar, pollen, shelter and favourable microclimate. In addition, nursery owners in Dehradun cultivate a variety of plant species (e.g. cucumbers, gourds, aubergines, tomatoes and flowers) for commercial purposes, which are later cultivated by local farmers on agricultural land. The distribution and composition of Coccinellidae species in different habitats is influenced by various environmental factors such as vegetation type, temperature and pH. Taheri & Reyes (2015) reported that vegetation composition plays an important role in determining the distribution of Coccinellidae species.

Zootherapy, the use of animals for medicinal purposes, has a significant cultural and therapeutic value in traditional practises. In this study, we have documented the ethnozoological use of insect fauna by the Gujjar and Pahari communities in Uttarakhand. A total of six diseases (minor injuries, cough, asthma, infertility, skin folds and sunburn) were treated with ten Coccinellidae species (Chilocorus nigritus, Coccinella hieroglyphica, C. leonina, C. quinquepunctata, C. septempunctata, C. undecimpunctata, Halyzia sanscrita, Micraspis discolour, Propylea dissecta and Cheilomenes sexmaculata) in the Gujjar community. Among these, asthma was the most common ailment treated by three species (Coccinella septempunctata, C. hieroglyphica and C. leonina) (Figure 7a).

Figure 7:

(a) Chord diagram showing species used in the Gujjar community for a variety of diseases; (b) Chord diagram showing species used in the Pahari community for a variety of diseases. The full names of the species are listed in Table 2.

Slika 7: (a) tetivni diagram vrst, ki jih uporabljajo v skupnosti Gujjar za različne bolezni; (b) tetivni diagram vrst, ki jih uporabljajo v skupnosti Pahari za različne bolezni. Celotna imena vrst so prikazana v Tabeli 2.

In the Pahari community, five ailments (asthma, cough, infertility, sunburn and minor injuries) were treated by six species (Coccinella transversalis, C. undecimpunctata, C. hieroglyphica, Micraspis vincta, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata and Cheilomenes sexmaculata). Asthma was treated by Coccinella undecimpunctata and C. hieroglyphica (Figure 7b). These findings are in agreement with Hassan et al. (2023) who reported similar ethnozoological practises among ethnic communities in Jammu and Kashmir, India. A comprehensive overview of the ethnic use of the documented species can be found in Table 2.

The chord diagram shows the species used by the Gujjar and Pahari communities and illustrates the predominance of the Gujjar over the Pahari in the use of Coccinellids species for daily cultural practices (Figure 8a). A total of (N=21), 62% species (i.e., Chilocorus nigritus, Coccinella undecimpunctata, Halmus chalybeus, Halyzia sanscrita, Micraspis discolor, Propylea dissecta and Adalia decempunctata) are typical of the Gujjar, while only (N=8), 23% species (i.e., Cheilomenes sexmaculata, Coccinella transversalis, Hippodamia variegate, Micraspis discolor, Harmonia dimidiate, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata, Micraspis vincta, Hippodamia convergens) are typical of the Pahari (Figure 8a). The idiosyncratic species use by the Gujjar is due to non-urbanization, total dependence on nature, especially for food and medicine, and other cultural practices.

Figure 8:

(a) Chord diagram showing the species used by the ethnic communities (Gujjar, Pahari); (b) Venn diagram showing the number of unique and common species among Gujjar and Pahari in Dehradun (Uttarakhand, India). The complete names of the species are given in Table 2.

Slika 8: (a) tetivni diagram vrst, ki jih uporabljajo v etničnih skupnostih (Gujjar, Pahari); (b) Vennov diagram števila specifičnih in skupnih vrst v skupnostih Gujjar in Pahari v območju Dehradun (Uttarakhand, Indija). Celotna imena vrst so prikazana v Tabeli 2.

A cross-cultural comparison of the documented species showed that there was an overlap between the two selected ethnic communities only in five species (Coccinella hieroglyphica, C. leonine, C. septempunctata, Coccinella quinquepunctata, and Coccinella septempunctata) which constitute 15% of the documented species (Figure 8b). This can be explained by the fact that these species are commonly used in both ethnic communities due to the prevailing cultural myths and lack of education. Coccinella septempunctata, for example, is collected and kept overnight in traditional houses to avoid spiders, and because of its seven spots, locals believe it has the potential to cure various psychological diseases and problems with evil spirits. Similarly, C. hieroglyphica is dried and burned to produce smoke that is used against evil spirits. A complete assignment of insect species to ethnic groups can be found in Table 2. Mishra & Tiwari (2012) reported on the traditional use of Coccinellidae by tribal communities in Odisha for medicinal purposes.

The use value (UV) was used to assess the relative importance of the documented species to the local communities, with higher UV indicating greater cultural or practical importance. Seven ethnocultural use categories were identified based on traditional practises: protection from evil spirits, good luck charms, garland making, insecticides, sex determination, black magic and promotion of spirituality. A complete list of UV values for the documented species used by the Gujjar and Pahari communities can be found in Table 2. The highest UV value was found for Coccinella septempunctata (0.4), followed by C. hieroglyphica (0.26) and C. leonina (0.25). These results are in agreement with studies from nearby regions, such as Hassan et al. (2023) and Altaf et al. (2020), which also emphasise the cultural importance of Coccinellidae in traditional practises.