Insecta: leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Studies on leafhoppers of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve have provided as many as 106 species out of which 45 species represent the number actually collected from various surveys in the area. This includes three interesting species coming from genera Scaphoideus Uhler and Ujna Distant. One new record for India has beep established in Ujna delicatula Distant. A cursory glance at the inventory will also reveal that 37 species are endemic to Nilgiri Biosphere and 17 species are recorded from here for the first time. 4 species are also rare to the area. Besides, 26 species are rare to India as a whole and 23 are common. Quantitatively the leafhopper fauna of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is of 7-9 per cent of the total Indian Cicadellidae. lt is significant that 21 subfamilies are recorded in this paper out of 25 subfamilies reported from India (Rao, 1990). With regard to zoogeography the NBR provides a theatre for projecting a random admixture of allzoogeographical elements. General like Balclutha Kirkaldy, Exitianus Ball and Scaphoideus Uhler are cosmopolitan. Genera like Nephotettix Matsumura, Doratulina Melichar, Nirvana, Kirkaldy, Dussana Distant, Calodia Nielson. Londiana Nielson, Thagria Melichar are oriental in distribution, Nephotettix also being Ethiopian. On the economic front many leafhoppers which are major pests on Gossypium, Mangifera and Oryza represented by genera like Amrasca Ghauri, Idioscopus Baker and Nephotettix Matsumura are recorded. Other leafhopper of importance are from Cofana Melichar, Empoasca Walsh, Exitianus Ball, Hecalus Stal, Balclutua kirkaldy. Recilia Edwards, Neodartus Melichar Hishimonus Ishihara etc. which attack a variety of agri and horticultural plants. Human activity, of late, in the area is causing habitat destruction and damage to ecosystem resulting in eventual loss of biodiversity of the area. Many endemic species listed in this paper are not available or being lost in a phased manner. It is therefore of utmost importance to plan for biological productivity in a sustainable manner protecting the ecological heritage and biological diversity at the same time. We should therefore turn an attention to sacred grooves such as that of Ilangudipatti village" in Tamil Nadu to poster management and maintenance. Such undisturbed little forests are also found in Western Ghats and all all our efforts should be directed towards retaining them and not erasing them out of this planet.