The cabbage butterfly, Pieris brassicae Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), is an oligophagous and invasive insect pest of various economically important cole crops. Recently, there have been reports about an increase in the incidence and damaging activities of cabbage butterflies, signifying that the existing control methods fail to meet the grower’s expectations. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and their endosymbiotic bacteria have immense potential for the control of a wide range of insect pests. In this investigation, the EPN species Steinernema carpocapsae and its associated bacterial species, Xenorhabdus nematophila, were isolated and identified through morphological and molecular techniques. The laboratory bioassay experiment was performed using S. carpocapsae and X. nematophila against the 3rd instar larvae of P. brassicae (25 ± 1 °C; RH = 60%). The efficacy of EPN suspension (30, 60, 90, 120, 150 IJs/mL) and bacterial suspension (1 × 10⁴, 2 × 10⁴, 3 × 10⁴, 4 × 10⁴, and 5 × 10⁴ CFU/mL) via contact and oral routes showed significant mortality among the larvae. Surprisingly, 100% insect mortality within 48 h was recorded in the bacterial inoculum 5 × 10⁴ CFU/mL. However, in the case of EPNs (S. carpocapsae), 150 IJs/mL caused the highest, 92%, larval mortality rate after 96 h. The results signify that both indigenous EPNs and their associated bacteria can provide efficient control against P. brassicae larvae and could effectively contribute to IPM programs. However, further analyses are required to authenticate their effectiveness in field conditions.

A new species of gecarcinucid crab, Barytelphusa choprai sp. nov., is described here from the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh state of India. The new species differs from all three congeners by its convex and trapezoidal carapace, pale white colouration, and by a distinct structure of the male gonopod G1. It differs from its congeners by genetic distance (p-distance) in the range of 5.7-13.6% in partial mtCOI gene sequence. The habitat at the type locality is a slow flowing shallow stream with rocky substratum, covered with silt and debris, and devoid of aquatic vegetation.

DNA barcoding substantiates species identification, and simultaneously indicates the misnomer taxa. Based on the morphological descriptions, we identified a lesser-known catfish, Clupisoma bastari, from Godavari River basin, and contributed novel DNA barcode data to the GenBank. The Kimura 2 parameter genetic divergence between species, and the neighbour-joining phylogeny clearly depicted a distinct clade of C. bastari in the studied dataset. Clupisoma bastari maintained sufficient K2P genetic divergence (8.3% to 11.2%) with other congeners, and branched as a sister-species of C. garua. The present study highlights possible existence of a few misnomer taxa in the GenBank. We encourage further extensive sampling of different congeners of Clupisoma from a wide range of habitats to explore the species diversity and phylogenetic relationship.

The taxonomy and geographical distributions of Osteobrama species have historically posed challenges to ichthyologists, leading to uncertainties regarding their native ranges. While traditional taxonomy has proven valuable in classification, the utility of an integrated approach is restricted for this particular group due to limitations in combining information from biogeography, morphology, and genetic data. This study addresses the taxonomic puzzle arising from the recent identification of Osteobrama tikarpadaensis in the Mahanadi and Godavari Rivers, casting doubt on the actual distribution and systematics of both O. tikarpadaensis and Osteobrama vigorsii. The research reveals distinctions among specimens resembling O. vigorsii from the Krishna and Godavari riverine systems. Notably, specimens identified as O. vigorsii from the Indian Museum exhibit two pairs of barbels, while those from the Godavari River in this study are identified as O. tikarpadaensis. Inter-species genetic divergence and maximum likelihood phylogeny provide clear delineation between O. vigorsii and O. tikarpadaensis. The study suggests that O. vigorsii may be limited to the Krishna River system in southern India, while O. tikarpadaensis could potentially extend from the Mahanadi River in central India to the Godavari River in southern India. Proposed revision to morphological features for both species, accompanied by revised taxonomic keys, aim to facilitate accurate differentiation among Osteobrama congeners. The data generated by this research provide a resource for future systematic investigations into cyprinids in India and surrounding regions. Further, the genetic diversity information obtained from various riverine systems for Osteobrama species will be instrumental in guiding aquaculture practices and formulating effective conservation action plans.

Prior to this study, Myanmar was known to host 15 species of snakehead fishes (genus Channa) distributed across Southeast Asia. The region, characterized by its confluence of diverse river systems and two biodiversity hotspots, is presumed to have notable gaps in its biodiversity assessments. Recently, a new snakehead species, Channa shingon, was discovered in China, with its potential distribution in Myanmar warranting further investigation. This study focused on exploring Channa species in Kachin State and examined collected specimens using an integrated approach. The specimens were identified as C. shingon based on their distinct morphological characters, with a maximum standard length of 99.2 mm. Additionally, mitochondrial COI sequence data were generated, and species confirmation was achieved through nucleotide BLAST searches, genetic distance estimations, and phylogenetic analyses. The DNA sequences of C. shingon showed a mean inter-species genetic distance of 7.97% to 27.41% compared with other Channa species in the dataset, while the intra-species genetic distance between the Burmese and Chinese populations was 0.27%. Both Bayesian and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses distinctly separated C. shingon from other congeners through a monophyletic clustering pattern, revealing its sister relationship with C. rubora. Overall, this study provides the first report of C. shingon from Myanmar and suggests its speciation from a common ancestor with C. rubora, likely driven by geographical barriers such as the Irrawaddy River. Furthermore, the study contributes a robust DNA barcode dataset encompassing 85.7% of the global Channa species diversity, which can serve as a valuable resource for further species identification, discovery, and diversity assessments of snakeheads from South and Southeast Asia.

Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences