UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
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Courtship and Mating Behaviour in Some Butterflies of Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India
No full textReproduction is the ultimate driver of butterfly survival, and courtship behaviours determine whether mating succeeds or fails. Observing these interactions in natural habitats not only reveals species-specific strategies but also adds to the natural history knowledge needed to understand butterflies in diverse ecosystems. Despite the rich butterfly fauna of the Eastern Himalayas, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, systematic field observations of mating behaviour remain extremely limited. To address this, we recorded courtship and mating behaviour in 14 butterfly species at Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary between 2021 and 2023. Across pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons, opportunistic observations were conducted to document male, female, and pair behaviours, along with mating outcomes. Males exhibited a wider range of behaviours, including perching, chasing, and flight pursuit, while females primarily responded with immobility, wing fluttering, and twirling. Species-specific signatures were evident, with circular versus straight chase flights, clockwise versus anti-clockwise twirling, and contrasting carousel orientation. Of the 14 species, six achieved successful copulation (40–168 min), five experienced interruptions, and three were rejected by females. Copulation was longest in Junonia orithya (168 min) and shortest in Heliophorus epicles (40 min). These findings provide the first detailed records of butterfly mating behaviour from Arunachal Pradesh, strengthening natural history records for the region and offering a foundation for future behavioral research on butterflies
Community Structure, Dominance, and Ecological Assessment of Phintella (Salticidae) and Associated Spiders in a Semi-Natural Urban Habitat
No full textThis research explores the phenomenon of the Phintella family of spiders and their ecological distribution in Vaijanti Bagan, a specialized Canna lily garden located in the region of Prayagraj, India. Essentially, the main objective of this research was to understand the extent to which specialization takes place in urban environments regarding the predatory arthropods in the region. As natural habitats get disrupted, the indicator properties of Phintella spiders assume critical importance. Survey work was undertaken in the region of Chandrashekhar Azad Park employing three types of sampling methodologies, viz., manual sampling, sweep net, and pitfall, in the winter and summer seasons. As the focal species, Phintella vittata, was initially targeted to calculate the sexual dominance index, which was found to be 0.6912. But the greater objective of the overall endeavor was to carry out the community analysis of the spiders. The Simpson\u27s Dominance Index for Phintella spiders was found to be 0.6912. Phintella spiders were found to be abundant within the ecological community, exhibiting a strong habitat association with the architecture of the host plant. This study provides crucial evidence for the role of ornamental gardens in urban biodiversity conservation
Seasonal Zooplankton Community in Kiliyur Wetlands in Pathalapattai, District of Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
No full textThis study analyzed the monthly variations in the diversity and density of zooplankton assemblages within Kiliyur Wetlands, India, over the period from January 2022 to December 2023. Throughout the investigation, the population density within this marsh was adequate to guarantee that fish output reached its maximum potential. The investigation and analysis of zooplankton predominance were conducted across the pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons. In this study, five distinct taxonomic classifications of zooplankton were identified. The classifications include the following categories: Protozoa, Ostracoda, Rotifera, Cladocera, and Copepoda. In the summer season, the abundance of zooplankton reached its peak, whereas in the monsoon season, it was at its minimum
Diversity of Moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera) in the Agricultural Crop, Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) of Jabalpur District of Madhya Pradesh, Central India
No full textMoth is one of the most important insects of Class Insecta under order Lepidoptera and share with beautiful butterflies. The study of moths is important as they are significant part of the ecosystem as prey, pollinator and pests of various plant crops. Moths diversity was conducted at agricultural field on the chickpea crops of Jabalpur region of Madhya Pradesh, Central India from month of June 2024 to May 2025. The main aim of study to acquire the detail information of moth diversity found in agricultural field of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV). During the study period, a total 178 specimen’s moths were observed and collected by using mercury light traps (160 W).
The study revealed that 68 species of moth belonging to 48 genera, 10 families under 7 superfamily were recorded throughout the study period. Based on number of super families Noctuoidea was dominant with 38 species followed Pyraloidea with 16 species, Bombycoidea 6 species, Geometroidea 4 species and Euteliidae, Hyblaeoidea, Lasiocampoidea and Thyridoidea with one species each. The highest species was represented by family Erebidae (23 species), Crambidae (14 species), followed by families Noctuidae (13 species), Sphingidae (6 species), Geometridae (5 species) and families Euteliidae, Hyblaeidae, Lasiocampidae Nolidiae and Thyradidae represented by one species each. This study thereby offers baseline data for future studies on moth fauna associated with other agricultural crops
Evaluation of Ivermectin Efficacy and Anthelmintic Resistance in Naturally Occurring Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections of Sheep in Central Kashmir
No full textGastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in sheep cause substantial production losses, and increasing anthelmintic resistance threatens the sustainability of routine control programs. This study evaluated the field efficacy of injectable ivermectin against naturally occurring GIN infections in Kashmir Merino sheep reared under a semi-intensive system in central Kashmir. A total of 100 sheep meeting inclusion criteria (fecal egg count ≥150 eggs per gram [EPG] and no anthelmintic treatment for at least 8–12 weeks) were randomly assigned to an ivermectin-treated group (n=75) and an untreated control group (n=25). Ivermectin was administered subcutaneously at 200 μg/kg body weight. Fecal egg counts were determined on Day 0 and Day 14, and pooled fecal cultures were used for larval identification following WAAVP guidance. The mean fecal egg count reduction (FECR) based on individual animal data was 74.33% (95% CI: 70.55–78.11%), with a corresponding group-level FECR of 71.06%, indicating reduced ivermectin efficacy consistent with moderate anthelmintic resistance under field conditions. Larval cultures showed a shift in genus composition following treatment: before treatment, Haemonchus spp. predominated (55%) alongside Trichostrongylus spp. (26%), Chabertia spp. (13%), and others (6%); after treatment, Haemonchus spp. increased to 78% while Trichostrongylus spp. declined to 20% and other genera were markedly reduced. These findings highlight the need for strengthened resistance management in the region, including targeted selective treatment, rotation of anthelmintic classes, and routine monitoring of drug efficacy
A Faunistic Survey and Morphometric Analysis of Termite Species from Jorhat and Golaghat Districts of Assam, India
No full textTo understand the incidence of different termite species in four different habitats (forest, agriculture, rural and urban sites), a systematic GPS based study was carried out during 2020-2021 and 2021-22 in two selected districts of Assam. The study revealed the presence of different termite species across diverse habitats in both districts. Among these 8 species, five species belonged to the Macrotermitinae subfamily, whereas the remaining 3 species belonged to Nasutitermitinae, Kalotermitinae and Amitermitinae subfamilies. The genus Odontotermes was found to be predominant, comprising four species viz., Odontotermes obesus (Rambur), O. feae (Wasmann), O. parvidens (Holmg. and Holmg.) and O. kapuri (Roonwal and Chhotani). The other 4 species belonged to different genera and these were Microtermes mycophagous (Desneux), Trinervitermes biformis (Wasmann), Neotermes buxensis (Roonwal and Sen-sarma) and Speculitermes chadaensis (Chatterjee and Thapa). Four different feeding groups of termites were observed among which soil, litter and fungus feeder were dominantly found. Among eight species, O. obesus and O. feae were dominantly distributed in different habitats of both the district. Morphometric studies indicated that O. feae was larger than rest of the seven species.  
Histopathological Effects of Cypermethrin on Gill Tissues of the Air-breathing Catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)
No full textThe primary aim of this article is to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of cypermethrin on fish tissues specially for gill tissues.
Use of Pyrethroid pesticides has increased several times for better production of crops. Of these pesticides cypermethrin has increased immensely due to its biodegradability and low toxicity in nature. To evaluate the toxic effects of these pesticides on Heteropneustes fossilis, the fish were exposed to 1.0 μg / L cypermethrin for 24 h. All the fish were sampled at the end of 24 h experiment. Gill tissues of Heteropneustes fossilis were examined histologically after exposure to lethal concentrations (1.0 μg / L) of cypermethrin for 24 h. Controlled condition was maintained. Severe necrosis, hypertrophy of the secondary gill lamella and edematous separation of the epithelial cells due to cypermethrin treatment are seen. Pillar cell system (PCS) remained relatively unaffected in treated fish; but haemorrhage in the primary gill lamella at the base of secondary gill lamella was found in treated fish. Haemorrhage and sloughing of branchial arteries at the opercula end of the primary lamellae can disrupt the circulation of deoxygenated blood via the branchial arteries into the secondary lamellae in a direction opposite to that of water flow. As a result, oxygen uptake is hampered. This can cause asphyxiation, tissue necrosis and finally death of the fish
Hormone-Induced Masculinization in Xiphophorus helleri: Comparative Effects of Immersion and Dietary 17α-Methyltestosterone Treatments
No full textThe present study evaluated the effects of different doses of 17α-methyltestosterone (17α-MT) administered through immersion and supplementary diet on sex reversal and survival in Xiphophorus helleri (Red Swordtail). Hatchlings were exposed to six hormone concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 μg/L) for 6 hours and reared for 90 days. Sex ratio, intersex incidence, and survival were recorded. Results showed a progressive increase in male proportion with increasing hormone concentration in both immersion and diet treatments. The highest male ratio (0.90 and 0.85**, respectively) occurred at 500–600 μg/L treatments, with minimal intersex development (0.02–0.05). The control group exhibited a balanced sex ratio (0.50 male: 0.50 female). Survival remained uniformly high (100%) across all treatments. Microscopic examination of gonadal tissues revealed clear differentiation between ovarian oocytes and testicular spermatocytes in hormone-treated groups, confirming effective masculinization. These findings indicate that 17α-MT is highly effective in producing monosex male populations of X. helleri with negligible mortality, making it suitable for ornamental fish production. These results provide valuable insights for hormone-based sex manipulation strategies in livebearer aquaculture, particularly for all-male production systems aimed at improving uniformity and economic returns
A Comparative Analysis of Zooplankton from Cherakulam Pond and Thamirabarani River, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India
No full textZooplankton are microscopic organism that are suspended in water and they are rich in essential amino acids and fatty acids. Rotifers are commonly called wheel organism. Rotifers are the important part of freshwater zooplankton that bring a major food source to certain freshwater organism. This work has been designed to identify the freshwater zooplankton and rotifers to analyse the inter-relationship between freshwater zooplankton and various physico-chemical parameters. Zooplankton samples were collected from Thamirabarani river and Chera Kulam Pond, Tirunelveli District respectively. These samples were collected between 9.00 to 10.00 AM during the month of Feb-Apr 2022
Industrial Effluents and Biodiversity Collapse: A Review of Subarnarekha River Pollution in Jamshedpur and Indian Urban Rivers
No full textThe ecological consequences of industrial effluents are mediated by river hydrology and sediment dynamics. Indian cities have expanded around rivers that historically sustained drinking water supply, fisheries, floodplain agriculture, cultural practices, and high freshwater biodiversity. Yet, many urban rivers now function as conduits for industrial effluents, municipal sewage, and contaminated stormwater, producing chronic chemical stress, habitat degradation, and biological impoverishment. This review synthesizes published evidence on the Subarnarekha River with emphasis on the Jamshedpur industrial corridor, and situates this case within the wider crisis of Indian urban rivers. The Subarnarekha exemplifies a coupled “industrial–urban river syndrome” in which metal-rich and oxygen-demanding wastes interact with altered flow regimes and sediment processes to create persistent exposure pathways for aquatic biota. The literature consistently indicates (i) elevated potentially toxic elements in water and bed sediments, (ii) strong seasonality linked to monsoonal dilution and dry-season concentration, (iii) sediment acting as both sink and secondary source of contaminants, and (iv) bioaccumulation in lower trophic levels and fish, with implications for ecological integrity and human dietary risk. Evidence from other Indian urban rivers demonstrates similar patterns, including contaminant mixtures (metals, antimicrobials, plastics), microbial community shifts, and degradation of sensitive macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages. The review highlights mechanistic pathways from effluent discharge to biodiversity collapse: toxicity, food-web disruption, eutrophication–hypoxia cycles, and selection for pollution-tolerant taxa. It also evaluates monitoring approaches and management options—source control, improved treatment, sediment risk management, environmental flows, and biomonitoring—relevant to Subarnarekha and comparable rivers. The paper concludes with a synthesis of actionable research priorities and governance needs to reverse biodiversity loss in industrial–urban river systems. Comparative evidence from other Indian urban rivers shows that Subarnarekha is not an isolated case but part of a broader pattern in which contaminant mixtures, oxygen stress, and habitat degradation restructure biological communities