Seasonal Variation and Habitat-wise Distribution of Orthopteran Fauna within the Campus of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahavidyalaya, Shrigonda, Maharashtra

Abstract

The present study examined seasonal and habitat-wise variation in orthopteran fauna within the campus of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahavidyalaya, Shrigonda, Maharashtra. Observations were compiled from four habitats—the Agricultural Field, Grassland, Pond Area and Botanical Garden—during summer 2025, monsoon 2025 and winter 2025–26. A total of 162 individuals representing seven provisionally identified taxa were recorded. Monsoon supported the highest abundance with 87 individuals (53.70%), followed by summer with 47 (29.01%) and winter with 28 (17.28%). Grassland recorded the highest habitat-wise abundance with 57 individuals (35.19%), followed by the Pond Area with 46 (28.40%), Agricultural Field with 42 (25.93%) and Botanical Garden with 17 (10.49%). The Phaneroptera gracilis morphotype was dominant, contributing 34 individuals (20.99%), followed by Euconocephalus pallidus with 25 (15.43%) and Cyrtacanthacris tatarica with 24 (14.81%). Five katydid taxa contributed 120 individuals, while two short-horned grasshopper taxa contributed 42 individuals. Grassland exhibited the highest habitat-wise Shannon and Simpson diversity, whereas winter showed the highest seasonal evenness despite its lower abundance. The greater abundance recorded during the monsoon was probably associated with increased moisture, vegetation growth and food availability. As the observations consisted of pooled encounter counts without standardised replication, the results are presented as preliminary baseline information rather than population-density estimates. Future surveys should employ equal sampling effort, replicated transects, sweep-net and acoustic sampling, environmental measurements and taxonomically verified voucher specimens.

Introduction

The text presents a study on the diversity, abundance, and seasonal distribution of Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids) across different habitats within the campus of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahavidyalaya, Shrigonda (Maharashtra, India). Orthopterans are ecologically important insects found in diverse habitats, playing key roles in vegetation dynamics and food webs, while also serving as indicators of environmental conditions.

The study investigates four habitats—Agricultural Field, Grassland, Pond Area, and Botanical Garden—over three seasons (summer, monsoon, and winter). A total of 162 individuals representing 7 taxa were recorded. The most abundant group was katydids (long-horned orthopterans), which dominated the assemblage.

Key findings include:

• Seasonal pattern: The monsoon season showed the highest abundance (53.7%), likely due to increased vegetation growth and moisture. Winter had the lowest abundance but showed relatively higher evenness in species distribution.
• Habitat pattern: Grassland supported the highest abundance and diversity, followed by Pond Area and Agricultural Field, while Botanical Garden had the lowest abundance but still supported all taxa.
• Dominant species: Phaneroptera cf. gracilis was the most abundant species, followed by Euconocephalus cf. pallidus and Cyrtacanthacris cf. tatarica. Two taxa showed comparatively lower abundance.
• Diversity indices: Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou’s evenness values indicated moderate to high diversity across seasons and habitats, with grassland showing the highest overall diversity.

Methodology highlights:

The study used field surveys, visual identification, and standard biodiversity indices (Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou’s evenness). Sampling was based on pooled observations without standardized replication, so inferential statistical tests were not applied.

Conclusion

The present study documented 162 orthopteran individuals representing seven provisionally identified taxa from four habitats within the campus of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahavidyalaya, Shrigonda. Monsoon supported the highest seasonal abundance, while winter recorded the lowest. Grassland was the most abundant and diverse habitat, followed by the Pond Area, the Agricultural Field, and the Botanical Garden. The Phaneroptera cf. gracilis morphotype was dominant, followed by Euconocephalus cf. pallidus and Cyrtacanthacris cf. tatarica. Katydids represented the major component of the recorded assemblage. The observed patterns suggest that seasonal moisture, vegetation growth, and habitat structure may influence orthopteran occurrence on campus. The study provides preliminary baseline information rather than definitive estimates of density or habitat preference. Future investigations should use monthly sampling, equal survey effort, replicate transects, sweep-net and acoustic surveys, vegetation measurements, climatic records and taxonomically verified voucher specimens.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Akanksha S Bade, Rhushikesh S Suryawanshi . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.