~ 548 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2016; 4(5): 548-551 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 JEZS 2016; 4(5): 548-551 © 2016 JEZS Received: 20-07-2016 Accepted: 21-08-2016 Vijay Singh Research Scholar Department of Zoology, M. D. U., Rohtak, Haryana, India Vivek Goyal Research Scholar Department of Zoology, M. D. U., Rohtak, Haryana, India Suman Devi Research Scholar Department of Zoology, M. D. U., Rohtak, Haryana, India Santosh Hooda Govt. College (W) Rohtak, Haryana, India Vinay Malik Department of Zoology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India Correspondence Vinay Malik Department of Zoology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India Polymorphism of Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Haryana, India Vijay Singh, Vivek Goyal, Suman Devi, Santosh Hooda and Vinay Malik Abstract The study of polymorphism related to Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was conducted during the year 2015-16 in Haryana, India. The family Coccinellidae is known for the ladybird beetle species having different morphs showing variations of elytral colour patterns within and between the species. A large number of specimens were collected by sweep nets or handpicking from the agricultural as well as wild areas of the Haryana and six different morphs of this species were identified, comprising of three melanic and three non-melanic forms. The different morphs of the species were identified on the basis of the external characters and the shape of male genitalia. The pattern of the pronotum was similar while the pattern of the elytra was quite variable in all the six types of morphs. Thus the present study documents variable elytral colour polymorphism within C. sexmaculata in Haryana. Keywords: Coccinellidae, Cheilomenes sexmaculata, polymorphism, elytra Introduction Polymorphism is the existence of different individuals with different morphological, behavioural or biochemical characteristics within a population. It is the result of selection over continuous or discontinuous variations. The polymorphs having different genetic constitution appeared due to adaption to their heterogeneous environment resulting in genetic diversity. In many animal groups polymorphism led to have special features among individuals of a species [1] . In some cases polymorphism may serve to hide from predators, [2, 3] , while in others it gives better chances of survival in cold conditions by increasing body temperature [4-6] . Polymorphism gives a fitness advantage to the organisms in terms of feeding, mating, defending territories and escaping from predators. Among various types of polymorphism, colour polymorphism is a conspicuous example of ecological and functional important polymorphism. Many species of ladybird beetle show elytral colour polymorphism, as indicated by Harmonia axyridis, Adalia decempunctata and Adalia bipunctata L. [7, 8] . Polymorphism in ladybird beetles have been studied by different scientists at different times [9-11] . Polymorphism in Adaldia bipunctata was studied and seventeen morphs were recorded for the first time from Iraq [12] . Similarly in Japan geographical variations of elytral polymorphism in Cheilomenes sexmaculata was studied and twenty morphs were reported [13] . The reason for various geographical gradients related to elytral colour polymorphism in populations is not clear. In the studies of the polymorphism, the study of ladybird beetles has occupied a special position which is related to pattern of the dorsal surface of the head, scutellum and elytra [10, 14] . In its polymorphs the melanic morphs adjust better in cold conditions than the non melanic forms [15] , therefore the changes in the environmental conditions provide an opportunity for the study of morphs. Thus the environmental changes and protection from predators explains the differences in the dark colour morphs [16-18] . So polymorphism may explain the relation between different environmental factors and characters of the living organisms. The study of available literature revealed that the information related to polymorphism in the coccinellid beetles in Haryana is very scanty, with no specific previous record of polymorphism in Cheilomenes sexmaculata from Haryana, India. So the present study intends to find polymorphism in Cheilomenes sexmaculata.