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Odonates (Dragonflies and Damselflies) of Indian JEZS 2014; 2 (6): 16-21 © 2014 JEZS Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Received: 18-10-2014

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Odonates (Dragonflies and Damselflies) of Indian JEZS 2014; 2 (6): 16-21 © 2014 JEZS Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Received: 18-10-2014 Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2014; 2 (6): 16-21 ISSN 2320-7078 Odonates (Dragonflies and Damselflies) of Indian JEZS 2014; 2 (6): 16-21 © 2014 JEZS Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Received: 18-10-2014 Accepted: 25-10-2014 Research Complex for NEH Region Campus, Atanu Bora Umiam, Meghalaya, India Research Scholar, Division of Animal Production, ICAR, RC for NEH Region Umiam- 793003, Atanu Bora and L. R. Meitei Meghalaya, India. Abstract L. R. Meitei Odonates play crucial role in ecosystem functioning and can be used as biological indicators of Research Scholar Department of environmental quality. Although much work have been carried out regarding the abundance and Life Science and Bioinformatics distribution of insect orders in Meghalaya, no sufficient effort has been made to study the diversity and Assam University, Silchar-788011, distribution of Odonates. Thus, in the present study an attempt has been taken to study the diversity and Assam, India. abundance of Odonates in ICAR, RC for NEH Region campus, Meghalaya, India. A total of 33 species of Odonates were recorded from the study area from March to August, 2014. The family Libellulidae with 21 species was the most dominant among the Anisoptera (dragonflies) followed by Gomphidae (2 sp.) and Aeshnidae (1 sp.). Among the Zygoptera (damselflies), the 9 species recorded belong to the family Coenagrionidae. As the area houses 33 species of Odonates including 24 species of Anisoptera and 9 species of Zygoptera, it can be presumed to have a good diversity which may be attributed to the grasslands, shrubs and small water bodies inside the campus. Keywords: Abundance, diversity, ICAR, India, Meghalaya, Odonates. 1. Introduction Dragonflies and damselflies collectively called Odonates, are one of the most common insects flying over forest, fields, meadows, ponds and rivers. About 6,000 extant species are distributed all over the world. India is highly diverse with more than 500 known species [1]. They are ancient groups of insects, evolved during the Carboniferous era (Permian period) about 250 million years ago. The extant dragonflies are divided into two suborders, the Zygoptera (damselflies) and the Anisoptera (dragonflies). Until recently a third suborder, Anisozygoptera, was recognized with two extant species from Japan and the eastern Himalayas [2]. The Anisozygoptera, which have some features recalling Zygoptera, is a living fossil with two species of which Epiophlebia laidlawi is known from Darjeeling. Odonata fauna of India is known by 3 sub orders, 17 families, 139 genera and 499 species and [3] [4] subspecies . Mitra recorded 499 and later on 463 species were confirmed by Subramanian [5] till date. Many species of damselflies were reported from northeastern part of India but documentation of abundance and distribution is still not known for most of the species in this part of the world. Fraser [6] in his three published volumes on Odonata in the ‘Fauna of British India’ provides documentation of 536 species and subspecies from India with many species from Madhya Pradesh, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Odonates are inextricably linked to waterbodies of various kinds. Some species prefer standing waterbodies like reservoirs, lakes, backwaters, ponds or even seasonal rain water puddles while others prefer running water like rivers, rivulets, hill streams etc. Being supreme predators both during their adult and larval stages, Odonates play crucial role in ecosystem functioning and serve to keep other insects including those harmful to humans (like mosquitoes, blood-sucking flies, etc.) under control. Apart from functioning as predators in the ecosystem, their value as indicators of habitat quality has also been widely appreciated in Correspondence: recent times. Anecdotal observations suggest that some Odonates are so habitat specific that Atanu Bora even minor changes can lead to their disappearance [1]. Thus the present study aimed to explore Research Scholar, Division of Animal Production, ICAR, RC the species richness and diversity of Odonates in different locations of ICAR which might be for NEH Region Umiam- helpful to pave the way for future research and formulation of an effective strategy for 793003, Meghalaya, India. conservation of this important group of insects. ~ 16 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2. Material and Methods the habitats. Field notes, photographs (camera: Nikon d5100) The present study was conducted in ICAR, RC for NEH and observations were taken during the day light hours. The Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, India from March to August, population trends were monitored during the study period 2014 to assess the diversity of Odonates. using transects counting method [7]. At each location the same route of inspection was followed each time to reduce the 2.1 Study Area number of variables present and to avoid biasness all the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umaim, counts were made by the same person. Meghalaya is located in between 91° 55′ E longitudes and 25° 40′ N latitude in the state of Meghalaya, India. It is located at 2.3 Identification the height of 1,010 m above mean sea level, which falls in Individual images of Odonates were photo-documented and high rainfall area (from 2,239 to 2,953 mm annually). The identified by cross-checking with standard references and annual maximum and minimum temperature ranges from 21.1 photo guides of [6, 8, 9, 10, 5, 11]. The relative abundance or say to 29.2 °C and from 7.0 to 20.9 °C, respectively. status of individual species is categorized within the campus area as VC-Very Common (> 25 sightings), C-Common (16- 2.2 Survey Method 25 sightings), O-Occasional (9–15 sightings), R-Rare (5–8 Surveys were conducted throughout the campus to cover all sightings) and VR-Very Rare (< 5 sightings). Fig 1: Location map of ICAR, Research Complex for NEH Region, Meghalaya, India. 3. Results and Discussion A total of 33 species of Odonates including 24 species of 1). The Libellulidae with 21 species was the most dominant Anisoptera (Dragonflies) and 9 species of Zygoptera family among the Anisoptera followed by Gomphidae (2 sp.) (damselflies) were recorded from the ICAR, Research and Aeshnidae (1 sp.). Among the Zygoptera, the 9 species Complex for NEH Region campus, Meghalaya, India (Table recorded belong to the family Coenagrionidae (Fig 2). Fig 2: Family wise distribution of Odonates during the study period ~ 17 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 3.1 Species richness and composition found to be very common, 13 species were common, 10 The number count method for relative abundance showed that species wee occasional, 3 species were rare and 2 species were among the 33 species of Odonates recorded, 5 species were very rare to the study area (Fig. 3). Fig 3: Relative Abundance of Odonates during the study period 3.2 Species Dominance were the dominant species, whereas among the Zygoptera, Among the Anisoptera, Brachythemis contaminate, Agriocnemis lacteola was the most dominant species Diplacodes trivialis, Neurothemis fulvia and Orthetrum Sabina encountered. Table 1: List of Odonates Recorded in ICAR, RC for NEH Region, Meghalaya, India. Sl. No. Common Name Scientific Name IUCN status [11] Abundance A Ansioptera (Dragonflies) Family: Gomphidae (Clubtails) 1 Common Clubtail Ictinogomphus rapax LC O 2 Common Hooktail Paragomphus lineatus LC O Family: Aeshnidae (Darners) 3 Brown Darner Gynacantha dravida DD VR Family: Libellulidae (Skimmers) 4 Trumpet Tail Acisoma panorpoides LC C 5 Scarlet Marsh Hawk Aethriamanta brevipennis LC C 6 Rufous-backed Marsh Hawk Brachydiplax chalybea LC C 7 Little Blue Marsh Hawk Brachydiplax sobrina LC C 8 Ditch Jewel Brachythemis contaminate LC VC 9 Emerald-Banded Skimmer Cratilla lineata LC C 10 Ruddy Marsh Skimmer Crocothemis servilia C C 11 Black-tipped Ground Skimmer Diplacodes nebulosa LC C 12 Ground Skimmer Diplacodes trivialis LC VC 13 Fulvous Forest Skimmer Neurothemis fulvia LC VC 14 Ruddy Meadow Skimmer Neurothemis intermedia LC R 15 Blue-Tailed Forest Hawk Orthetrum triangulare LC O 16 Blue Marsh Hawk Orthetrum glaucum LC O 17 Crimson-Tailed Marsh Hawk Orthetrum pruinosum LC C 18 Green Marsh Hawk Orthetrum sabina LC VC 19 Blue-Tailed Yellow Skimmer Palpopleura sexmaculata LC O 20 Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens LC O 21 Yellow Tailed Ashy Skimmer Potamarcha congener LC C 22 Rufous Marsh Glider Rhodothemis rufa LC R 23 Picture Wing Rhyothemis variegata LC O 24 Long-Legged Marsh Glider Trithemis pallidinervis LC C B Zygoptera (Damselflies) Family: Coenagrionidae (Marsh Dart) 25 Green-Striped Slender Dartlet Aciagrion occidentale LC C 26 Pale Slender Dartlet Aciagrion pallidum LC VR 27 Milky Dartlet Agriocnemis lacteola LC VC 28 Pigmy Dartlet Agriocnemis pygmaea LC O 29 Orange-tailed Marsh Dart Ceriagrion cerinorubellum LC O 30 Coromandel Marsh Dart Ceriagrion coromandelianum LC C 31 Orange Marsh Dart Ceriagrion rubiae LC R 32 Black Marsh Dart Onychargia atrocyana LC O 33 Golden Dartlet Ischnura aurora LC C ~ 18 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies Odonates are among the ideal taxon for investigation of the 1. Establishing Protected Areas (National Parks, nature impact of environmental warming and climate change due to reserves etc.) and ensuring that activities in existing its tropical evolutionary history and adaptations to temperate protected areas are managed appropriately for Odonate climates [12, 13]. Despite the high importance of Odonates in conservation. environmental monitoring, still there is lack of significant 2. Conserving habitats outside protected areas by modifying effort to explore the diversity and abundance of this insect agricultural, forestry and industrial procedures. order in Meghalaya. During the study, it has been found that 3. Carrying out measures to support 1 and 2. The principal the institution campus fulfills most of the criteria important for ones are: Odonates as it is rich in grassland, shrubs and small water a) Research-notably taxonomy and studies of the bodies. This study strongly encourages the use of institutional distributions and biological requirements of species.
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