First documentation of diversity of the Heteroptera of Cotton University Campus, Kamrup (Metropolitan), Assam, India

Abstract

Cotton University, a developing university in Guwahati city of Kamrup district from Assam is undergoing a lot of developmental changes leading to a change in land use pattern which will have an impact on insect distribution. Heteroptera studies being severely lacking from this region needs attention for their documentation. A survey conducted on the campus from July 2018 to July 2019 every week between 0700–0900 h on all types of vegetation documented a total of 163 bugs of 20 different species under 10 families of Heteroptera. Pentatomidae was found to be the most dominant family with eight recorded species. Wild vegetation supported more diverse bug forms than the other garden plants. This survey is the first record of these insects from the Cotton University campus and such data forms an important database of available bugs from this region in the wake of the developmental changes the university is going through. Any change in their distribution, if found in the future, will reflect the impact of anthropogenic activities on their existence and distribution. Studies of this kind may be minuscule in level, but it forms an important record of their presence before we lose them to time.