Notes on chalcidid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) fauna from Central India

Chacididae is one of the important families in Chalcidoidea in terms of biological control. Its members are pupal parasitoids of most lepidopterans and can be easily differentiated by having an enlarged hind femur with variable teeth on the ventral side. Currently, more than 1500 valid species across five subfamilies have been documented worldwide. In India, the Chalcididae fauna was extensively studied during the 1990’s, and more than 250 valid species were found to be present under five subfamilies, while only 14 species are reported to be from central India. In this study, surveys were undertaken from 2019 to 2023 to document the chalcidid wasp fauna from central India, with special reference being made to Chhattisgarh state. Random surveys were taken in more than 20 sites across the Chhattisgarh state, including the permitted forest areas, and an abundance of chalcidid wasps situated at various altitudes across four elevation gradients was recorded. A total of 350 individuals belonging to four subfamilies were collected, and the documentation of more than 50 species across eleven genera was performed. Haltichellinae and Dirhininae were the most dominant subfamilies, while Epitraninae was the least documented one in terms of abundance, and Brachymeria, Antrocephalus, and Hockeria were found to be the most speciose genera. Based on the surveys, Chalcididae fauna are more diverse in 250-500 msl and 750 msl gradients. Dirhinus himalayanus and Dirhinus claviger have been found across the gradients, while many of the species were restricted to particular elevation ranges. Species diversity is discussed with respect to elevation gradients, and an irregular spread has been found across the state.