Arthropod Assemblage Associated with Clerodendrum infortunatum L. (Family: Lamiaceae)

Abstract

Clerodendrum infortunatum L. (Family: Lamiaceae) is a naturally growing shrub of medicinal value. The plant has woody stem, elliptical leaves and sweet-smelling flowers borne on pyramid-shaped peduncle panicle. The leaves and calyces are provided with EFNs which produce extra floral nectar while floral nectaries produce nectar rich in sucrose and amino acids. These food resources attract several floral and extra floral arthropod visitors like butterflies, bees, ants, bugs, grasshoppers, spiders etc. which can be grouped as EFN visitors, potential pollinators, herbivores and predators. The arthropod assemblage, recorded during the period of study, consisted of 22 species belonging to five orders (Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Coleoptera) and 10 families (Apidae, Aphididae, Formicidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Pyrgomorphidae, Pyrrochoridae, Pentatomidae, Coccinellidae and Papilionidae) of class Insecta and two arachnid families, Salticidae and Oxyopidae. The species of these groups may affect the distribution and resource exploitation ability of each other which would in turn affect the plant fitness.