A note on the entomofauna of mangrove associates in the Andaman Islands (Indian Ocean: India)

The mangals of South Andaman Island were surveyed for the insect fauna of mangrove associates. The herbivorous insects collected were reared to adulthood on the hosts on which they were collected. The parasitoids that emerged during the rearings were also collected. Ninety-six species of insect herbivores and nine species of hymenopteran parasitoids were collected during this study. Comparison with insects known to be phytophagous on true mangroves indicated that species overlap between insects on true mangroves and those on mangrove associates was minimal. Each of these plant communities apparently has its own distinct entomofaunal complex.