Studies on the diversity and habitat preference of odonates in Deepor Beel Bird Sanctuary, Kamrup,
Assam
Gaurab Jyoti Kalita, Swapna Devi Ray Abstract The present study was carried out in Deepor beel bird sanctuary during December 2013 to September 2014. Deepor beel bird sanctuary lies between 26° 7' 52" N; 91° 38' 70" E in Kamrup district. A total of 39 species belonging to 5 families and 22 genera were recorded from Deepor beel bird sanctuary. We also recorded Ceriagrion rubiae and Agriocnemis kalinga, which is the first formal record from Assam. In case of sub order Anisoptera (Dragonflies), family Libellulidae was the most dominant family. In case of sub order Zygoptera (Damselflies) Rhyothemis variegata was the most abundant species in the study area. In case of sub order Zygoptera (Damselflies) Pseudagrion microcephalum was the most abundant species in Deepor beel bird sanctuary. Keywords: Anisoptera, Deepor beel, Habitat, Zygoptera, Assam 1. Introduction The order Odonata is one of the most important and popular groups of insects. Dragonflies and damselflies both are togetherly known as Odonata. Odonata, dragonflies and damselflies, constitute a small, well known order of insects that are widely distributed over the world [15]. They are denizens of many aquatic ecosystems and their distribution covers a great deal of continuum from temporary to permanent water bodies [6]. Their sensitivity to environmental condition makes Odonates excellent biological indicators of environmental condition [16].Fossils have been found that are more than 300 million years old, as the dragonflies lived as long as the dinosaurs; so they must appeared during the Carboniferous era [7]. Odonata holds almost all kinds of habitats; from stagnant water bodies to running water bodies and dry deciduous forest to evergreen forest. Odonate assemblages represent sensitive indicators of environmental conditions including the water environment and forest structure. Odonates are the most dominant invertebrate predator in any ecosystem. Being predators both at nymph and adult stages, they play a very significant role in the ecosystem. They occur almost all over the globe in different habitats. Nowadays, there are approximately 6000 species with 600 genera, 8 super families, 29 families and 58 subfamilies described all over the world [14]. The odonate fauna of India is well studied since late eighteen century. During pre-independence, scientist such as Selys-Longchamps, Laidlaw and Fraser have contributed significantly to the knowledge on Indian Odonata [8]. There are a few papers available on diversity of Odonata in Assam. Odonata study of Assam can be traced back to Laidlaw [2], Fraser [9, 10, 11] Asahina [3], Lahiri [1] and Papori et.al, [4] who have worked on Odonata fauna in the state of Assam. To the best knowledge of the authors, no diversity and habitat preference based research effort on Odonata was carried out in Deepor beel bird Sanctuary. Subsequently, the aim of the present investigation was to carry out the first comprehensive study on Odonates diversity and habitat preference in Deepor beel bird sanctuary, Assam. 2. Materials and Methods The present study was carried out from December 2013 to September 2014. 2.1 Study Area Deepor beel bird sanctuary lies between 26° 7' 52" N; 91° 38' 70" E and located in Kamrup district. It is situated on the Southern bank of the river Brahmaputra and Village Maj Jalukbari, Paschim Jalukbari, Dharapur and National Highway No.37 lie on the North, Dakhin Jalukbari, Tetelia and Pachim Boragoan to the East, Gorbhanga Reserve Forest, Chakardew Hill and
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Chilla Hill to the South and the Village Azara and Kahikuchi to the west. Deepor beel occupies an area of 40 km2. Deepor beel bird sanctuary is only Ramsar site in Assam. 2.2 Study Design Four sites were selected from all around the Deepor beel bird Sanctuary. The sites were selected on the basics of different habitat, which may be important according to Clark and Samway [4] in influencing the diversity of Odonates. Study area (Deepor beel bird sanctuary) was divided into following zones a. Zone -1 = Khanamukh area b. Zone -2 = Watch tower area c. Zone -3 = Near Assam engineering college d. Zone – 4 = Garbage Centre (Boragoan) As Odonates exhibits an interesting response to temperature, the time had chosen for survey during 7.30 a.m. to 12.30
p.m.as they expose more as the temperature increases. The Odonates were categorized on the basis of their abundance in Deepor beel; VC - very common (> 100 sightings), C - common (50–100 sightings), R - rare (2–15 sightings), VR - very rare (< 2 sightings). 2.3 Data collection and identification: Visual encounter surveys [17] and opportunistic survey were used to study Odonates. During the time of data collection, a number of trails were randomly made near different possible Odonates habitats. Most of the species were photographed. Photographs were taken by Sony DSLR camera with macro lens. Doubtful specimens were collected through entomological nets and preserved in alcohol. After that all specimens were identified with the help of Fraser [9, 10, 11], Subramanian [7], Nair [12] and Kiran C. G & David V. R [13].
Fig 1: Study area survey map
3. Results and Discussion A total of 39 species belonging to 5 families and 22 genera were recorded from Deepor beel bird sanctuary. And out of these 39 species 2 species (namely Ceriagrion rubiae and Agriocnemis kalinga) are the new record for Odonata fauna of Assam. We also photographed and collected Ceriagrion rubiae and Agriocnemis kalinga, which is the first formal record from Assam. The Odonates of Deepor beel bird sanctuary belonged to following families – Gomphidae (7.69%), Aeshnidae (2.56%), Libellulidae (51.28%), Coenagrionidae (35.90%) and Platycnemididae (2.56%). In case of sub order Anisoptera, family Libellulidae was the most dominant family; and in case sub order Zygoptera only two families were recorded.
3.1 Evaluation the abundance of Odonates 3.1. (a) Dragonflies (Anisoptera): 24 species of dragonflies were recorded in Deepor beel bird sanctuary which belonged to three different families; Gomphidae, Aeshnidae and Libellulidae. Among the 24 species of dragonflies 8 species were recorded as very common, 5 species as common, 4 species as rare and 7 species as very rare. Table -1, data shows that, abundance of the species in different zones. According to following data we found that Rhyothemis variegata was the most abundant species in Deepor beel bird sanctuary and Urothemis signata, Brachydiplax sobrina, Brachydiplax contaminata, Crocothemis servilia and Orthetrum sabina all five species were also abundant in study area.
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Table 1: Numbers of dragonflies encountered into four different zones
3.1. (b) Damselflies (Zygoptera): 15 species of damselflies were recorded in Deepor beel bird sanctuary. Which belonged to two different families; Coenagrionidae and Platycnemididae. Among the 15 species of damselflies 4 species were recorded as very common species, 7 common, 1 rare and 3 very rare. Table -2 data shows that, abundance of
the species in different zones. According to following data we found that Pseudagrion microcephalum was the most abundant species in Deepor beel bird sanctuary and Onychargia atrocyana was second most abundant species in study area.
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Table 2: Numbers of damselflies encountered in four different zones
3.2 Types of habitat occupied by Odonates All the relevant habitat preferred details about Odonates were done by authors through habitat preferred observation study. We studied the different habitat of Odonates, first each zone were divided into 6 habitat pattern such as Shrub land (SB), Short grassland (SG), Tall grassland (TG), Open area (OA), Emergent vegetation (EV) and Free-floating emergent vegetation (FFV) and the preference of habitat by Odonates
was observed. Through observation we found that dragonflies used 24% shrub land, 23% emergent vegetation, 15% free-floating emergent vegetation, 14% tall grassland and open area and 10% short grassland as their habitat (Table 3). However, damselflies occupied 18% shrub land, short grassland and emergent vegetation as their habitat, 17% free-floating emergent vegetation, 15% of tall grass land and 14% open area as their habitat (Table 4).
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Table 3: Habitats used by Dragonflies species at Deepor beel
Family Scientific name Habitat
Gomphidae
Ictinogomphus rapax SB, TG, EV
Paragomphus lineatus OA
Aeshnidae Anax guttatus SB
Libellulidae
Acisoma panorpoides OA, EV, FFV
Aethriamanta brevipennis SB, OA, EV
Brachydiplax chalybea SB, EV, FFV
Brachydiplax sobrina EV, FFV
Brachydiplax farinosa SB, EV
Brachydiplax contaminata SB,SG,TG,OA,EV,FFV
Bradinopyga geminata OA
Crocothemis servilia SB,SG,TG,OA,EV,FFV
Diplacodes nebulosa EV, FFV
Diplacodes trivialis SB, SG, OA
Neurothemis fulvia SB,SG,TG,OA,EV,FFV
Neurothemis intermedia SB,TG
Neurothemis tullia SB, TG, EV
Orthetrum triangulare SB
Orthetrum pruinosum EV,FFV
Orthetrum sabina SB,SG,TG,OA,EV,FFV
Pantala flavescens SB
Rhodothemis rufa SB
Rhyothemis variegata SB,SG,TG,OA,EV,FFV
Trithemis pallidinervis SB, TG, EV
Urothemis signata SB, TG, EV, FFV NB :( SB: Shrub land; SG: Short grassland; TG: Tall grassland; OA: Open area; EV: Emergent vegetation; FFV: Free-floating emergent vegetation) Table 4: Habitats used by Damselflies species at Deepor beel
Family Scientific name Habitat
Coenagrionidae
Aciagrion pallidum SB
Agriocnemis lacteola
SG, TG, EV, FFV
Agriocnemis pygmaea
OE, SG, EV, FFV
Agriocnemis sp. SG, EV, FFV
Ceriagrion rubiae OA
Ceriagrion cerinorubellum
SB,OA,SG,TG,EV,FFV
Ceriagrion coromandelianum
SB,OA,SG,TG,EV,FFV
Ceriagrion olivaceum
SB, OA, SG, TG
Onychargia atrocyana
SB,OA,SG,TG,EV,FFV
Pseudagrion decorum
SB, EV, FFV
Pseudagrion microcephalum
SB,OA,SG,TG,EV,FFV
Pseudagrion rubriceps
SB, SG,TG,EV, FFV
Rhodischnura nursei
SB, SG, TG, EV, FFV
Paracercion malayanum
SB, OA, SG
Platycnemididae Copera vittata EV NB: (SB: Shrub land; SG: Short grassland; TG: Tall grassland; OA: Open area; EV: Emergent vegetation; FFV: Free-floating emergent vegetation).
Fig 4: Ictinogomphus rapax
Fig 5: Paragomphus lineatus
Fig 6: Anax guttatus
Fig 7: Acisoma panorpoides
Fig 8: Brachydiplax chalybea
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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies
Fig 9: Brachydiplax sobrina
Fig 10: Brachydiplax contaminata
Fig 11: Crocothemis servilia
Fig 12: Diplacodes nebulosa
Fig 13: Diplacodes trivialis
Fig 14: Neurothemis fulvia
Fig 15: Neurothemis intermedia
Fig 16: Neurothemis tullia
Fig 17: Orthetrum triangulare
Fig 18: Orthetrum sabina
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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies
Fig 19: Orthetrum Pruinosum
Fig 20: Pantala flavescens
Fig 21: Rhodothemis rufa
Fig 22: Rhyothemis variegata
Fig 23: Trithemis pallidinervis
Fig 24: Agriocnemis lacteola
Fig 25: Agriocnemis pygmaea
Fig 26: Agriocnemis kalinga
Fig 27: Ceriagrion rubiae (Fig 26 & 27 new record for Assam)
5. Acknowledgment Authors are thankful to Priyanuz Goswami Dept. of Remote sensing and GIS, North Orissa University for help to preparing study area location map. Special sincere to Dr. P.K. Saikia Department of Zoology, Gauhati University for their valuable suggestions during the study period. 6. References 1. Lahiri AR. Studies on the Odonate fauna of Meghalaya.
Records of Zoological Survey of India. Occasional 1987; 99:1-402.
2. Laidlaw FF. A list of the dragonflies recorded from the Indian Empire, with special reference to the collection of the Indian Museum. Part II (contd). The family Agrionidae. B. The legions Argia and Agrion. Records of the Indian Museum (a Journal of Indian zoology) 1919; 16:169-195.
3. Asahina S, Assamese and Burmese Coeliccia species in the collection of Dr. Erich Schmidt (Odonata: Platycnemididae).Transactions Shikoku Entomological Society 1984:16 (4):1-9, figs. 1-26.
4. Clark TE, Samwys MJ. Dragonflies (Odonata) indicators of biotic quality in Kruger National Park, South Africa. J. Applied Eco 1996; 3:96-102.
5. Papari et al. Diversity and distribution of damselflies in Gauhati University campus, Assam, India, NeBio 2012; 3(2):33-36.
6. Corbet PS, Dragonfly: Behaviour and Ecology of Odonata. Cornell University Press, New York, 1999: 829.
7. Subramanian KA. Dragonflies & damselflies of Peninsular India - A field guide. Project Lifescape. Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore. India. 2005, 118.
8. Subramanian KA. A Checklist of Odonata (Insecta) of India. Zoological survey of India, 2009, 36.
9. Fraser FC. Fauna of British India (Odonata), Ceylon and Burma, London: Tayler & Francis 1933; 1:423.
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17. Heyer WR, Donnelly MA, Mcdiarmid RW, Hayek LC, Foster MS. Measuring and monitoring biological diversity: Standard methods for amphibians. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington. DC, 1994, 364.
