Diversity of freshwater mollusc in the

N.A. Aravind* and N.A. Madhyastha** Suri Sehgal Centre for Conservation Science, Ashoka Tru st for Research in Ecology and the Env ironment (ATREE), Bangalore- 560024. **Malacology Centre, Poorna Prajna College, Udupi- 576101. DIVERSITY OF FRESHWATER MACROINVERTEBRATES DIVERSITY OF FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS

PONDS LAKES

STREAMS AND RIVERS BACKWATERS AND ESTUARIES FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS OF THE WORLD

The Western Ghats is a hotspot for freshwater fishes, crabs and Mollusks Estimated numbers of described and undescribed terrestrial and freshwater mollusc

70000

Max Undescribed 60000 Described y t ii 50000

40000 ecies)

ollusc divers Min pp mm 30000

onmarine Max Number of s 20000 NN ((

Min 10000

0 Terrestrial Freshwater

Source: Lydeard et al. 2004 Taxonomic break up of Indian freshwater mollusc fauna

Gastropods Bivalves Total Western Ghats Families 12 09 21 13 Genus 36 21 57 20 Species 170 113 214 60

Source: Subba Rao 1989 and Shivaramakrishnan et al. 1999 Cremnochonchus sahydarensis Lithtotis rupicola

Arsidopsis footi

Arsidopsis sp, Pseudomulleria dalyii

Cremnochonchus sp

Paracrostoma tigrina, Paracrostoma martini Habitat preference of freshwater molluscs of the Western Ghats

Rivers and stream are species rich

Habitat distribution of Freshwater molluscs Arsidopsis footi Pseudomulleria dalyi

70

60

50

ices 40

30

Percent spe Percent 20

10

0 Lentic Lotic Both

Habitat Zoo-geographically interesting species in the Western Ghats

Marine elements in the freshwater mollusc fauna of the Western Ghats

Neritinea perottetiana (Neritidae)

Cremnoconchus syhadrensis (Litterorinidae) Zoo-geographical significance of Western Ghats molluscan fauna

Cremnochonchus

Pseudomulleria

Paracrostoma Cremnochonchus sp.

• Member of marine family • Shows that Part of the Western Ghats was under the sea • Highly specialsed habitat- waterfalls • Only on the western slopes Zoo-geographically interesting species in the Western Ghats

Family: Genus: Species: South America, 3 3 Madagascar, Tropical Africa and India

A Gondwana relict, cemented bivalve of the Western Ghats

Pseudomulleria dalyii

Only Five populations of <2000 individuals Family Etheridae- An Gon dwana lan d re litlict

Pseudomulleria

Western Ghats

Acostea Etheria

Africa and Madagascar Colombia … Into India Adamietta

Brotia

Adamietta Brotia

Paracrostoma

Adamietta “…origg(ins of the Indian biota (freshwater mollusc) are more complex and diverse than assumed under the standard Mesozoic vicariance model…”

Kohler and Glaubrecht 2007 Importance

• Food: – For humans: Clams, Pila, Thiara etc – • Nutrient cycling: In Terrestrial and Freshwater • Indicator of ecosystem health-Bioindicators • Agricultural pests • Invasive Threats THREAT STATUS OF RIVER CATCHMENTS OF THE WORLD

River catchments of peninsular India is most threatened Pollution Bivalves Gastropods

Bivalves Gastropods Dams

Bivalves Gastropods Mines

Agriculture Bivalves Gastropods

Urbanization Bivalves Gastropods Percentage of extinct animals in different faunal groups

Amphibians CtCrustaceans 1% 1% Others Reptiles 0% 3% Insects 10%

Mammals 11% 43%

Fishes 12% Birds

Source: www.redlist.org. Total number of threatened species of mollusc

1400 1222 1200

1000

800 708 ecies pp 600 # s 429 400

200 41 0 TrrtrilTerrestrial Fresh wat er MrinMarine LtCnrnLeast Concern Group

Source: www.redlist.org. India and Western Ghats???

OlOnly ONE has b een li st ed und er IUCN red list category

Pseudomulleria dalyii The big challenge of freshwater biodiversity Conservation- Environmental water demand and social requirement Significant wetlands of the wwesternestern ghatsghats aandnd theirtheir conservation status GODAVARI CATCHMENT

Wetland Nos./Region/ PROTECTION Habitats Locality KRISHNA Rivers 3 large, 13 3 River CATCHMENT medium and 17 Sanctuaries minor (Fish) Backwaters Ashamudi, 2 Ramsar sites Kuttanad, Vembanad, Kole wetlands CAUVERY (Kerala) CATCHMENT Estuaries/ Bharatapuzha, Nil Mangroves Netravathi, Gurupura, Gangolli, Sharavathi, Aghanasini, Kali, Mandovi A Gap Analysis ¾ No comprehensive assessment of freshwater biodiversityyg of the region

¾ FtFew taxonomi itdifhtc studies on freshwater moll uscs

¾ Little information available on the distribution and ecology of the most of the s pecies

¾ Few studies on the river ecology and its interaction with other species Acknowledgements

Dept. of Science and Technology

Endemics Current Threats (Contd..)

DAMS MINES

MINES AGRICULTURE EXPANSION Current Threats

RIPARIAN DEFORESTATION WASTE DISPOSAL

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION Endemism and habitat preference of freshwater molluscs of The Western Ghats

Rivers and stream are species rich habitats.

Habitat distribution of Freshwater molluscs Arsidopsis footi Pseudomulleria dalyi

70

60

50

ices 40

30

Percent spe Percent 20

10

0 Lentic Lotic Both

Habitat