DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2020.v08i09.003

Pages: 278-283

The present study was done to assess the species abundance, monthly occurrence and diversity of cricket fauna (Orthoptera: Ensifera) in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. A total number of 283 individuals of cricket fauna were collected and they were identified into three families, six genera and seven species. The collected specimens belonged to three families such as Gryllidae (166), Tettigoniidae (59) and Gryllotalpidae (58). The seven species and their relative abundance were viz. Gryllus texensis (36.40%), Gryllus campestris (18.37%), Lepidogryllus comparatus (3.89%), Neoconocephalus palustris (9.89%), Scudderia furcata (4.95%), Montezumina modesta (6.01%) and Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa (20.49%). Among them, highest population with dominance was Gryllus texensis (103) and lowest population was Lepidogryllus comparatus (11). Among the collected species, the status of Gryllus texensis, Gryllus campestris and Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa were very common (VC); Neoconocephalus palustris and Montezumina modesta were fairly common (FC) and Lepidogryllus comparatus and Scudderia furcata were considered as rare (R). Base on monthly occurrence 2 species of cricket were found throughout 12 months, 2 were 9-11 months, 2 were 6-8 months and 1 was 3-5 months. The highest species occurrence of cricket fauna was recorded in the month of August and lowest in January. Diversity indices of Shannon (H'), Simpson (1-D) and Margalef (DMg) were 1.68, 0.77 and 1.06 respectively. Menhinick richness (DMn), Berger-Parker dominance (d) and Pielou’s evenness index (J') were 0.42, 0.36 and 0.94 respectively. This works may help to find information regarding the abundance, occurrence and diversity of cricket fauna and may assist to understand the ecological aspect in this area. Perhaps this constitutes the first report on cricket fauna in the greater Rajshahi Division.