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Vertebrate Fauna of Sagar Island of Sunderban, West Bengal

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Vertebrate Fauna of Sagar Island of Sunderban, West Bengal ISSN 0375-1511 Rec. zool. Surv. India: 113(Part-2): 41-53, 2013 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF SAGAR ISLAND OF SUNDERBAN, WEST BENGAL VARADARAJU Zoological Survey of India, Sunderban Regional Centre Canning, 24 Parganas (South), West Bengal Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore. Kolkata - 700 053 INTRODUCTION Conditions of presenttopography of the area Sunderban is one of the largest mangrove and (i) Physical features: In Sunderban tides have a wetland ecosystem with reverien areas, influence on water quality and water comprises number of rivers, rivulets and creeks. It movement caused by surface and bottom starts from river hughly in the west to river currents. The circulation of water is of Meghna in the east. It lies between 8751'- 92° 30' very importance in maintaining the east longitudes and 21° 31'-22° 30' north latitudes. population of sessile or benthic organism. Out of the total forest area only 4264 sqjkm are Salinity is an important factor in persist within the Indian limit and the rest is in influencing the distribution and biology Bangladesh. It harbors variety of fauna and flora of the living organisms. The depth and in its unique habitat. It is a feeding and breeding width of the estuary is varied with season site for estuarine crocodile, water monitor and a and place depends upon influence of landing site for olive ridley turtle. fresh water and distance from the sea. Turbidity is high during monsoon and The comprehensive surveys on vertebrate low during winter. fauna in Sunderban had not been conducted until MandaI and Nandi (1989) reported whole fauna (ii) Climate: The seasons can be classified of Sunderbans and Chowdhury and Vyas (2005) mainly into three types namely monsoon listed 41 species of Reptiles in Sunderbans in their during which the rain fall is heavy and it study. The present study is an outcome of one starts from July and ends up to October survey conducted to Sagar Island area of with occasional rain throughout the year. Sunderban for ten days and encountered five Post-monsoon is characterized by cold species of fishes, three species of amphibia, six weather and starts from November and species of reptiles, 25 species of birds and 2 species ends around February. Pre-monsoon is of mammals. The objectives of the present study predominated by dry weather with are (i) To document vertebrate fauna in Sagar thunder storm, it starts from March and Island of Sunderbans and (ii) To provide a ends in June. consolidated report on vertebrate fauna in Sagar (iii) Humidity: In Sunderban humidity is as Island. high as 80% on average due to the STUDY AREA proximi ty of the Bay of Bengal. The study was carried out at different habitats (iv) Temperature: Mean annual maximum and in and around Sagar Island including fresh water minimum recorded at the latter was 34 ponds, forest, river, paddy field and human degrees Celsius (0C) and 20°C, inhabited area. respectively. 42 Rec. zool. Surv. India METHODOLOGY Family CHAEMAELEONIDAE Genus Chaemaeleon The survey was made randomly, selected habitat sites were surveyed by foot and visually 11. Chaemaeleon zeylanicus (Linnaeus, 1768) searched the prospective habitats. The fauna was Family SCINCIDAE searched at deeply shaded forest, inside the soil, Genus Mabuya fresh water ponds, paddy field, tree trunks, tree 12. Mabuya carinata (Schneider, 1801) holes and bushes. Different species of vertebrate were identified based on the morphological Family V ARANIDAE features using field guide and reference books Genus Varanus (Grimmett et aI., 1999; Kazmierczak and Perlo, 13. Varanus salvator (Daudin, 1820) 2000; Whitaker and Captain, 2004). The habit and Family COLUBRIDAE habitat was recorded based on the field Genus Amphiesma observations. 14. Amphiesma stolatum (Linnaeus, 1758) SYSTEMATIC LIST OF THE SPECIES Genus Xenochrophis Phylum CHORDATA 15. Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider, 1799) Sub Phylum VERTEBRATA Class PISCES Class AVES Order CYPRINIFORMES Order CICONIFORMES Family CYPRINIDAE Family ARDEIDAE 1. Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton, 1822) 16. Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus, 1766) 2. Labeo bata (Hamilton, 1822) 17. Anastonus oscitans (Boddaert, 1783) 3. Crossocheilus latius (Hamilton, 1822) Order ANSERIFORMES 4. Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822) Family ANATIDAE Order PERCIFORMES 18. Tadorna ferruginea (Pallas, 1764) Family OSPHRONEMIDAE 19. Aythya marila (Linnaeus, 1761) 5. Trichogaster chuna (Hamilton, 1822) Order Falconiformes Class AMPHIBIA Family Falconidae Order ANURA 20. Falco peregrines (Tunstall, 1771) Family DICROGLOSSIDAE Family ACCIPITRIDAE Subfamily DICROGLOSSINAE Genus Euphlyctis 21. Gyps bengalensis (Gmelin, 1788) 6. Euphlyctis cyanophlyyctis (Schneider, 1799) 22. Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus (Horsfield, 1821) Genus Fejervarya Order CHARADRIFORMES Family LARIDAE 7. Fejervarya limnocharius (Gravenhorst, 1829) 23. Larus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) Genus Hoplpbatrachus 24. Larus argentatus (pontoppidan, 1763) 8. Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin, 1803) Order COLUMBIFORMES Class REPTILIA Family COLUMBIDAE Order SQUAMATA Family GEKKONIDAE 25. Streptopelia decaocta (Frivaldszky, 1838) Genus Hemidactylus 26. Streptopelia chinensis. 9. Hemidactylus brooki (Gray, 1845) Order CUCULIFORMES Family AGAMIDAE Family CUCULIDAE Genus Calotes 27. Clamator jacobinus (Boddaert, 1783) 10. Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1802) V ARADARAJU : Vertebrate Fauna of Sagar Island of Sunderban 43 Order CORACIIFORMES Sighting record: Sighted at Ashram pond, th th Family ALCEDINIDAE Sagar Island; Date: 13 and 15 • 10.2009; time: 28. Halycon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758) 9:20 a.mand 12:10.p.m;No ofexs. 04. Family HALCYONIDAE Notable character in the field: It has bilaterally 29. Todiaramphus chloris (Boddaert, 1783) symmetrical and streamlined body with cycloid scales, usually dark grey above, silvery below. Order PICIFORMES Head without scales. broad mouth with single Family PICIDAE pair of short rostral barbells. 30. Dinopium bengalensis (Linnaeus, 1758) Habit and habitat: It is found in rivers and 31 .Chrysocolaptes lucidus (Scopoli, 1786) tanks. Order P ASSERIFORMES Food and feeding habit: It is bottom feeder and Family PASSERIDAE feeds on decaying vegetation. 32. Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution: Northern India. Family ESTRILDIDAE Conservation status: Least Concern (LC) 33. Lonchura striata (Linnaeus, 1766) 2. Labeo bata (Hamilton, 1822 Family PYCNONOTIDAE Common Name: Bata 34. Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) Common Name: Red Vented Bulbul Materials examined: Observed in the field. Family STURNIDAE Sighting record: Ramakrishnapur area, Sagar 35. Sturnus malabarica (Gmelin, 1789) Island; Date:16.10.2009; time: 11:10.a.m. No. of exs.12. Family SYLVIIDAE It 36. Acrocephalus Agricola (Jerdon, 1845) Notable character in the field: has elongated body, dorsally bluish and ventrally silvery with Family CORVIDAE orange opercle. It has bluntly pointed snout. 37. Corvus macrorhynchos (Wagler, 1827) Habit and habitat: It is bentho-pelagic and 38. Acridotheres fuscus (Wagler, 1827) inhabits rivers. 39. Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766) Food and feeding habit: It is herbivorous and Class MAMMALIA feeds on plant vegetation. Order RODENTIA Family MURINAE Distribution: West Bengal. Genus Bandicota Conservation status: Least Concern (LC) 40. Bandicota bengalensis (Gray, 1835) 3. Crossocheilus latius (Hamilton, 1822) Genus Mus Common Name: Gangetic latia 41. Mus booduga (Gray, 1837) Materials examined: Observed in the field. SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT Sighting record: Sighted at Kapil Muni Ashram pond, Sagar Island; Date:15.10.2009; time: Phylum CHORDATA Sub Phylum VERTEBRATA 12:10.p.m; No. of exs. 06. Class PISCES Notable character in the field: It is characterised Order CYPRINIFORMES by possessing 8 branched dorsal fin rays, Family CYPRINIDAE 1. Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton, 1822) immobile rostral lobes and lacking a dorsal spine. Common Name: Mrigal Habit and habitat: It is found in streams, rivers and lakes. Materials examined: Observed in the field. 44 Rec. zool. Surv. India Distribution: Ganga, Brahamputra in North Distribution: Gangetic province, Assam and India, Mahanadi river of Orissa, Arunachal Manipur. Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Conservation status: Least Concern (LC) Tripura. Class AMPHIBIA Conservation status: Least Concern (LC) Order ANURA Fischer 4. Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822 Family DICROGLOSSIDAE SubFamily DICROGLOSSINAE Common Name: Rohu Genus Euphlyctis Materials examined: Observed in the field. 1. Euphlyctis cyanophlyyctis (Schneider, 1799) Sighting record: Ramakrishnapur area, Sagar Common Name: Skipper Frog Island; Date:15.10.2009; time: 1:10.p.m; No. of exs. Materials examined: Observed in the field. 08. Sighting record: Kapil Muni Ashram pond, Notable character in the field; It is bilaterally Sagar Island; Date:13, 16 and 19.10.2009; time: 9:20 symmetrical, bluish dorsally and silvery a. m, 11:10.a.m. and 1:20 p.m; No. of exs.12. ventrally, moderately elongate, eyes dorso-Iateral in position, dorsal fin rays three or four, lateral Notable character in the field; It has darker line distinct, complete and running along median irregular spot marks all over body and legs. The line of the caudal peduncle. hind limbs are completely webbed and seen floating on water surface. Habit and habitat: It is found in fresh water rivers and lakes. Habit and Habitat: It is found in ponds and skips on the water surface. Food and feeding habit: It is herbivorous and feeds on phytoplankton and submerged It is a variations feeling feeds on aquatic vegetation. insects, beetle, grass hopper was
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