Checklist of Tri-Trophic Associations of Aphidophagous Predators of the Tribe Chilocorini (Coccinellinae: Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) in India

A checklist of tri-trophic relationships involving aphidophagous species of the Chilocorini tribe (Coccinellinae: Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) is provided, highlighting their essential role in the natural regulation of aphid populations across various terrestrial ecosystems in the states and union territories of India, alongside the aphid prey species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) that infest different host plants. Eleven species of aphidophagous Chilocorini were identified: 8 species of Chilocorus Leach and one species each of Brumoides Chapin, Curinus Mulsant, and Priscibrumus Kovar. All these species of Chilocorini were documented as aphidophagous in 23 states/union territories of India feeding on 38 species of aphids infesting 80 plant species, with Brumoides suturalis (Fabricius) being the most polyphagous, feeding on 26 aphid species infesting 54 plant species across 21 states/union territories of India, followed by Priscibrumus uropygialis (Mulsant), which preys on 11 aphid species infesting 17 plant species in 7 states/union territories. All 8 Chilocorus species consume 1-8 species of aphids that infest 1-12 species of plants. Aphis craccivora Koch and Aphis gossypii Glover are preyed upon by a maximum of 4 predator species, while Aphis pomi De Geer and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) are consumed by 3 predator species, primarily found on apple, brinjal, and brassica oil seeds. Indeed, no efforts have been made to record the tri-trophic interactions of these aphid predators in various regions of India; thus, a thorough survey strategy is essential to catalogue them in those undiscovered states/union territories.