Ethnoentomological Assessment of Public Knowledge and Consumption Practices of Cybister tripunctatus in Manipur, India

Abstract

Ethnoentomology offers important critical analysis of the cultures, nutrition, and ecology of insects to indigenous societies, especially in biodiversity hotspots such as Northeast India. One edible insect, the predaceous diving beetle, Cybister tripunctatus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), is considered an important protein and lipid source, as well as a potential medicinal benefit in traditional food systems of Manipur. Despite its popularity, systematic evaluations of the population's knowledge, consumption, and perceptions of population changes are scarce, particularly amid pressures on the habitat and changes in diet. The survey included 300 respondents in the five districts of Manipur (Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Imphal West, and Imphal East) by means of systematic sampling in order to measure familiarity, encounter situations, consumption reasons, and attitudes toward species abundance. The study showed a high familiarity (78%) and consumption rates (82%) among the respondents with an encounter during fishing being the most frequent (48.72%) and therapeutic benefits (72%), and nutrition (70%) reasons. Non-consumers (18%) identified unavailability as the primary impediment, with 56% of them reporting a population decline in the last decade. The demographics demonstrated that older females (60% of all participants) were more engaged, which indicated the presence of gendered and generational knowledge relations among the respondents. This study emphasizes the need for integrated conservation strategies, including wetland protection and promotes the continuation of entomophagy traditions and food security in Manipur. In the future, ecological monitoring should be undertaken to confirm perceptual data and research on sustainable harvesting models.