Research Projects

The order Lepidoptera, which includes moths and butterflies, is one of the largest in the Insecta class. It comprises 42 recognized superfamilies, with 35 being microlepidoptera, which constitute about 40% of lepidopteran species. India, a mega-biodiverse nation, has a diverse lepidopteran fauna, but many microlepidopteran moths have yet to be found and identified. The micromoth superfamily Tortricoidea includes over 1,000 genera and nearly 11,000 named species worldwide. The largest subfamily, Olethreutinae, has about 4417 described species in 355 genera worldwide. In India, the subfamily is represented by 310 species under 103 genera and six tribes. Many Olethreutinae species are pests on various food and cash crops, having great economic significance. They have functional and ecological value, as pollinators, primary consumers, and ecological indicators. They have a cosmopolitan range, occurring at various latitudes and temperatures around the world. However, there has been no systematic work on this important lepidopteron pest subfamily from India compared to other parts of the world. Most Indian Olethreutinae descriptions are dated to pre-independence periods. This study proposes bridging this gap by systematic surveys, collection, documentation, and characterizing species using morphological and molecular characters. The research will also focus on generating DNA barcodes, revealing evolutionary relationships between taxa, creating diagnostic keys, and preparing checklists, catalogues, and monographs. The results will help understand the diversity of Olethreutinae in India.