Anantanarayanan Raman | |
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| Nationality | Indian |
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| Occupation | Professor of ecology |
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| Known for | Ecology, Entomology, Chemical and molecular ecology of insect—plant interactions |
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Anantanarayanan Raman is a Professor of Ecology with Charles Sturt University, NSW [1] and a scientist with CSIRO, Australia. [2]
Raman received his bachelor's degree in biology from Loyola College, Madras followed by a master's degree in biology from Presidency College, Madras, and PhD & DSc degrees in ecology from Madras University. [3] As a graduate student, he researched at the Université Louis Pasteur, France, on the nutritional physiology of gall-inducing Tubulifera. [4]
Raman received a Fulbright Award [3] in 1990 to work with Warren G. Abrahamson, of Bucknell University on population ecology and evaluated energetics using the Solidago–Rhopalomyia system. [5] Raman received a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) grant [6] to study the aseptic dual culture technique using Pemphigus and its primary host Populus and secondary host Taraxacum, and hypersensitive responses among species of Vitis to infestations of Daktulusphairia vitifoliae. [7] Raman collaborated with Rolf Beiderbeck of Rurpecht–Karls Universität, to work on a protocol for raising plant‑feeding insects on aseptically‑grown tissue callus of its host plant, using the Trialeyrodes–Stellaria system. [8]
In 2000, he received the Ian Potter Foundation’s award [9] and visited the University of Nebraska, to evaluate the nutrient mobilisation in the moth-induced galls of the parthenium weed using stable isotope mass spectrometry. [9] Raman received an Australian Academy of Science fellowship [10] to visit the National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan to study the nutritional ecology of insects invading Machilus Thunbergii. [11] [12] Raman was invited by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), on a Vulimiri Ramalingaswami Fellowship, [13] through which he conducted workshops and training programs at Indian universities. [14] [15]
Raman became interested in chronicling the growth of science in India, particularly that of Madras city, especially that occurred between 1650 and 1947 AD. Raman continues to publish articles related to science history, in professional journals, such as Current Science (Bangalore) [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] ., Indian Journal of the History of Science (Indian National Science Academy), New Delhi), [21] [22] [23] Archives of Natural History (Edinburgh), [24] on diverse aspects of science pertaining to environment, medicine, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering. His articles published in Current Science are archived here.
A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthparts adapted to rasping or grinding. Horses and other herbivores have wide flat teeth that are adapted to grinding grass, tree bark, and other tough plant material.
Hemiptera is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from 1 mm (0.04 in) to around 15 cm (6 in), and share a common arrangement of piercing-sucking mouthparts. The name "true bugs" is often limited to the suborder Heteroptera.
Galls or cecidia are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants, fungi, or animals. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to benign tumors or warts in animals. They can be caused by various parasites, from viruses, fungi and bacteria, to other plants, insects and mites. Plant galls are often highly organized structures so that the cause of the gall can often be determined without the actual agent being identified. This applies particularly to some insect and mite plant galls. The study of plant galls is known as cecidology.
Thrips are minute, slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Entomologists have described approximately 7,700 species. They fly only weakly and their feathery wings are unsuitable for conventional flight; instead, thrips exploit an unusual mechanism, clap and fling, to create lift using an unsteady circulation pattern with transient vortices near the wings.
Mahadeva Subramania Mani aka Dr MS Mani was an Indian entomologist especially famous for his studies on high altitude entomology.
Pistia is a genus of aquatic plants in the arum family, Araceae. It is the sole genus in the tribe Pistieae which reflects its systematic isolation within the family. The single species it comprises, Pistia stratiotes, is often called water cabbage, water lettuce, Nile cabbage, or shellflower. Its native distribution is uncertain but is probably pantropical; it was first discovered from the Nile near Lake Victoria in Africa. It is now present, either naturally or through human introduction, in nearly all tropical and subtropical fresh waterways and is considered an invasive species as well as a mosquito breeding habitat. The genus name is derived from the Greek word πιστός (pistos), meaning "water," and refers to the aquatic nature of the plants. The specific epithet is also derived from a Greek word, στρατιώτης, meaning "soldier," which references the sword-shaped leaves of some plants in the Stratiotes genus.
Cecidomyiidae is a family of flies known as gall midges or gall gnats. As the name implies, the larvae of most gall midges feed within plant tissue, creating abnormal plant growths called galls. Cecidomyiidae are very fragile small insects usually only 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) in length; many are less than 1 mm (0.039 in) long. They are characterised by hairy wings, unusual in the order Diptera, and have long antennae. Some Cecidomyiids are also known for the strange phenomenon of paedogenesis in which the larval stage reproduces without maturing first. In some species, the daughter larvae consume the mother, while in others, reproduction occurs later on in the egg or pupa.
Plant defense against herbivory or host-plant resistance (HPR) is a range of adaptations evolved by plants which improve their survival and reproduction by reducing the impact of herbivores. Plants can sense being touched, and they can use several strategies to defend against damage caused by herbivores. Many plants produce secondary metabolites, known as allelochemicals, that influence the behavior, growth, or survival of herbivores. These chemical defenses can act as repellents or toxins to herbivores or reduce plant digestibility. Another defensive strategy of plants is changing their attractiveness. To prevent overconsumption by large herbivores, plants alter their appearance by changing their size or quality, reducing the rate at which they are consumed.
Phyllococcus oahuensis was a species of mealybug in the family Pseudococcidae, and the only species in the genus Phyllococcus. It was endemic to Hawaii.
James Anderson was a Scottish physician and botanist who worked in India as an employee of the East India Company. During his career in India, he was involved in establishing a botanical garden at Mambalam, Madras, originating from a nopalry or Opuntia garden where he made attempts to introduce the cultivation of cochineal insects. He then attempted to introduce various other economically valuable plants, and examined silk and lac production. He maintained a steady communication with his friend from youth, James Anderson LLD (1739–1808) who published some of his notes in The Bee, or Literary Weekly Intelligencer, which has led to the use of the distinguishing form James Anderson MD or James Anderson of Madras.
Paleoparasitology is the study of parasites from the past, and their interactions with hosts and vectors; it is a subfield of Paleontology, the study of living organisms from the past. Some authors define this term more narrowly, as "Paleoparasitology is the study of parasites in archaeological material." (p. 103) K.J. Reinhard suggests that the term "archaeoparasitology" be applied to "... all parasitological remains excavated from archaeological contexts ... derived from human activity" and that "the term 'paleoparasitology' be applied to studies of nonhuman, paleontological material." (p. 233) This article follows Reinhard's suggestion and discusses the protozoan and animal parasites of non-human animals and plants from the past, while those from humans and our hominid ancestors are covered in archaeoparasitology.
Parthenium hysterophorus is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the American tropics. Common names include Santa-Maria, Santa Maria feverfew, whitetop weed, and famine weed. In India, it is locally known as carrot grass, congress grass or gajar ghas or dhanura. It is a common invasive species in India, Australia, and parts of Africa.
Chemical defense is a strategy employed by many organisms to avoid consumption by producing toxic or repellent metabolites or chemical warnings which incite defensive behavioral changes. The production of defensive chemicals occurs in plants, fungi, and bacteria, as well as invertebrate and vertebrate animals. The class of chemicals produced by organisms that are considered defensive may be considered in a strict sense to only apply to those aiding an organism in escaping herbivory or predation. However, the distinction between types of chemical interaction is subjective and defensive chemicals may also be considered to protect against reduced fitness by pests, parasites, and competitors. Repellent rather than toxic metabolites are allomones, a sub category signaling metabolites known as semiochemicals. Many chemicals used for defensive purposes are secondary metabolites derived from primary metabolites which serve a physiological purpose in the organism. Secondary metabolites produced by plants are consumed and sequestered by a variety of arthropods and, in turn, toxins found in some amphibians, snakes, and even birds can be traced back to arthropod prey. There are a variety of special cases for considering mammalian antipredatory adaptations as chemical defenses as well.
Callococcus is a genus of Australian scale insect that feeds on species of Leptospermum, Hypocalymma, Kunzea and some other members of the tribes Chamelaucieae and Leptospermeae in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. Callococcus leptospermi induces stem-swelling galls on some species of Leptospermum, and it is considered to be a potential biological control agent of Leptospermum laevigatum in South Africa. The other described species of Callococcus do not induce galls.
Andricus quercuscalifornicus, or the California gall wasp, is a small wasp species that induces oak apple galls on white oaks, primarily the Valley Oak but also other species such as Quercus berberidifolia. The California gall wasp is considered an ecosystem engineer, capable of manipulating the growth of galls for their own development. It is found from Washington, Oregon, and California to northern regions of Mexico. Often multiple wasps in different life stages occupy the same gall. The induced galls help establish complex insect communities, promoting the diversification in niche differentiation. Furthermore, the adaptive value of these galls could be attributed their ecological benefits such as nutrition, provision of microenvironment, and enemy avoidance.
Trichilogaster signiventris, commonly known as the golden wattle bud-galling wasp, is a species of Australian chalcid wasps that parasitises, among others, Acacia pycnantha. It has been introduced into South Africa, where the golden wattle has become an invasive pest.
Taracad Narayanan Ananthakrishnan was an Indian entomologist and insect ecologist. His areas of specialization was in the study of gall insects (Cecidology) and chemical ecology. He did extensive study of Indian thrips (Thysanoptera) and made immense contributions to this field of science.
Epiblema scudderiana, the goldenrod gall moth, is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae. As their common name suggests, they do feed on and form galls on goldenrod stems. To overwinter the caterpillars line the inside of their galls with silk before going into diapause.
Diplolepis polita, known generally as the spiny leaf gall wasp, is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. It was first described by William Harris Ashmead in 1890.
Diplolepis ignota is a species of gall wasp (Cynipidae). Galls in which the larvae live and feed are formed on the leaves of several species of wild rose (Rosa). Individual galls are single-chambered and spherical, but multiple galls can coalesce into irregularly rounded galls.
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