Three locally isolated strains of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), viz. Heterorhabditis indica, Steinernema thermophilum and Steinernema glaseri, from Meghalaya, India were characterized in terms of storage temperature and survival and infectivity of their infective juveniles (IJs). The survival and infectivity of nematode IJs was studied at, 5 ± 2 and 25 ± 2°C, for a period of 120 days, using deionized water as storage medium. The viability of nematode IJs was checked by mobility criterion at different storage periods, while the infectivity of nematode IJs was ascertained on the basis of establishment of IJs, using Galleria mellonella larva mortality tests in petridishes. The results of this study revealed that storage temperature markedly affects the survival as well as the establishment of nematode IJs of the three EPN species. At 5°C, comparatively higher rate of IJ's survival (i.e. 74-86 %) was observed for 15 days of storage, but the same reduced drastically to 28-32 % after 30 days of storage for H. indica and S. thermophilum. On the other hand, at 25°C, the survival of nematode IJs was observed till 120 days for all the three studied EPNs. In case of S. thermophilum and S. glaseri, higher rate of IJs survival ([75 %) was observed respectively at 15 and 30 days of observation. The study also showed that the establishment of IJs of the three EPN species declines with increase in storage periods, at both the test temperatures. In general, the nematodes stored at 25°C showed comparatively better establishment than those stored at 5°C. Among the three EPN studied, the establishment of S. glaseri was comparatively better than the rest of the species at both the temperatures and for different storage durations. In conclusion, our study adds further valuable information about the effect of storage temperature on survival and infectivity of three indigenous EPN species of Meghalaya, India which appears to be promising biocontrol agents of local insect pests.

Pseudolaguvia virgulata, a new South Asian sisorid catfish species, is described from the Barak River drainage in Mizoram, India. The new species can be distinguished from congeners in having a brown body with two or three narrow, pale longitudinal stripes and a pale Y-shaped marking on the dorsal surface of the head. Additional distinguishing characters from its congeners are a serrated anterior edge of the dorsal spine, the thoracic adhesive apparatus reaching beyond the base of the last pectoral-fin ray, head width, pectoral-fin length, length of dorsal-fin base, dorsal-spine length, body depth at anus, length of adipose-fin base, caudal peduncle length, caudal peduncle depth, snout length, interorbital distance, and total number of vertebrae.

Chordodes mizoramensis, a new species of freshwater gordiid horsehair worm, is described from Mizoram, NE India on the basis of scanning electron microscopic and morphometric studies. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners in that the apical filaments of the crowned areoles are branched several times, a pattern that has not been observed in other species. An additional distinguishing character is that it has more bulging areoles, which are distributed among simple areoles alone or in groups, do not form clear patterns.

Neolissochilus kaladanensis sp. nov., a new cyprinid species, is described from the Kaladan River drainage of Mizoram. It differs from all other valid Neolissochilus species in having higher number of gill rakers on the lower arm of the first gill arch (13-14 vs. 12 or below in all the species). The analysis of mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences separated N. kaladanensis sp. nov. from all other Neolissochilus and Tor species with an average genetic distance of 6.0%. It is further separated from the morphologically most similar species N. hendersoni and N. soroides by a genetic distance of 6.7% and 6.8%, respectively. Based on the lowest BIC and AICc scores, best fit model for COI dataset was TN93 + G + I, out of 24 different nucleotide substitution models tested. The maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree was constructed using the COI sequences of representative Neolissochilus and Tor species. The anomalies observed among the GenBank sequences of the genera Tor and Neolissochilus are also discussed.

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs)

A survey was conducted to isolate indigenous EPN, specifically from the northeastern part of India, a biodiversity hotspot region, to record the occurrence and their further use as biological control agent. The morphological and molecular analysis (ITS rDNA for and 16S rRNA for) revealed that the entomopathogenic nematodes isolated from four different habitats and its symbiotic bacteria are conspecific with and respectively. The phylogenetic analysis based on maximum parsimony (MP) revealed that belongs to-- group. The study constitutes the first report of and its symbiotic bacteria outside the type locality, Vietnam, and in particular from India.

Citation: Lalronunga, S., Lalnuntluanga & Lalramliana (2013). Garra dampaensis, a new ray-finned fish species (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Mizoram, northeastern India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 5(9): 4368-4377; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3141. Copyright: © Lalronunga et al. 2013. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication. Abstract: Garra dampaensis, a new cyprinid fish species, is described from the Seling River, a tributary of the Khawthlang Tuipui (Karnaphuli River), in Mizoram, India. The species can be distinguished from all other Garra species, except G. abhoyai, G. lissorhynchus, G. nambulica, G. paralissorhynchus and G. rupecula by the presence of a distinct W-shaped black band on the caudal fin. It can be distinguished from the above mentioned five species in having scales on the breast and belly, shorter vent to anal distance, and by having fewer lateral line scales (27-29 vs. more than 29 in all other species). A key to the species of Garra in the Lissorhynchus complex is provided. Mizo Abstract: Garra dampaensis, nghalim chhungkaw zinga mi, nghazawngek chi thar chu Seling lui, Khawthlang Tuipui (Karnaphuli), Mizoram, India atanga hmuhchhuah a ni. He sangha chi thar hian a mei ah W ang tak thil dum in rin a nei a, chutiang inrin chu nghazawng ek chi dang, heng, G. abhoyai, G. lissorhynchus, G. nambulica, G. paralissorhynchus leh G. rupecula, te chauhin an nei ve a ni. Heng nghazawngek chi 5 tarlante nen an danglamna chu, a awm leh dulah te phuhlip a nei bik, a mawngkua leh a mawng pangparh inkar hlat zawng a tawi bik, tin, a taksa dungzui zawnga phuhlip intlar thla a tlem bik a ni (27-29 vs. 29 aia tam vek). Nghazawngek (Lissorhynchus complex) ho hriathran theihna tur pek a ni bawk.

This study describes Pseudolaguvia nubila, a new miniature sisorid catfish from the Kaladan River drainage in northeastern India. Pseudolaguvia nubila can be distinguished from congeners in having a combination of a mottled brown body with yellowish bands, a weakly projecting snout in which the premaxillary teeth are barely exposed when the mouth is closed,