Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: A rare shield bug, last documented in 1908, has turned up in Nagaland. Researchers found Parastrachia nagaensis in the Phek district village of Pfutseromi on March 21, 2021. The team collected 10 specimens, split evenly between males and females. They published their findings in the journal Zootaxa.
The scientists used DNA analysis and morphological exams to verify the discovery. They studied two mitochondrial genes, COI and 16S, from one male and one female specimen. Genetic tests showed a 2.5 per cent divergence between these bugs and the related Parastrachia japonensis. The team confirmed these are separate species. Swapnil S. Boyane, Dharma Rajan Priyadarsanan, and Hemant V. Ghate led the work.
The bugs lived in clusters. Researchers saw groups of three to 10 adults gathering on leaves or hiding in leaf litter. The team suspects the insects exhibit subsocial behavior, though they could not confirm this. The survey missed any signs of mating, feeding, or parental care. The researchers noted that "additional observations would be necessary to establish this behaviour conclusively."
Experts have yet to find the host plant for this species. They believe Schoepfia jasminodora might be the answer, but they lack proof. This study offers the first look at the female terminalia and spermatheca for this bug. The Department of Biotechnology funded the project through their Bio-resource and Sustainable Livelihoods in North-East India programme.
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