RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSN: 2319-6955 A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE ODONATE DIVERSITY OF RANDAPUNCHA WETLAND, KULANADA, PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT, KERALA SREELEKSHMI S. AND ABHILASH R. Department of Zoology, Christian College, Chengannur, Kerala, India. Correspondence to: [email protected] Abstract: Dragonflies and Damselflies are among the most attractive creatures on earth belonging to the most popular insect order Odonata .Odonata constitute a small well known order of insects that are widely distributed over the world .A study was carried out to assess the Odonata fauna of Randam Puncha wetland near Kulanada in Pathanamthitta district from the first week of April to second week of June 2016. A total of 18 species of Odonates representing 3 families were recorded from Randam Puncha, Kulanada during the study period. Dragon flies represented by the families Libellulidae and Gomphidae and damsel flies represented by the family Coenagrionidae were observed. Acisoma panorpoides, Aethrimanta brevipennis, Brachydiplax chalybea, Rhyothemis veriegata and Orthetrum sabina were the common dragon flies spotted on the site. On the basis of total number of individuals recorded,Libellulidae was the most dominant family. The Shannon-Weiner diversity index recorded a higher value of 2.405 in Randam Puncha and the Margalef species richness was 2.409. The values of Pielou’s evenness index 0.652 showed medium even distribution of species; the dominance index recorded was 0.895. Even though any rare or endangered species were not recorded in the present study, the Randam Puncha wetland showed rich odonate diversity and abundance. Keywords: Odonata, Dragonfly, Damselfly, Diversity Indices INTRODUCTION species have been reported within the The order Odonata comprising both geographic limits of India so far (Joshi et dragonflies and damselflies are believed to al.,2017). have evolved some 250 million years ago Odonates, being predators both at (Subramanian 2005). These aquatic insects larval and adult stages, play a significant being predators in both larval and adult role inthe wetland ecosystem. Even though stages are an important and widespread most species of odonates are highly specific component of freshwater ecosystems to ahabitat, some have adapted to urban (Adarsh et al. 2015) as well as valuable areas and exploit man-made water bodies indicatorsof water quality and landscape (Prasad and Varshney, 1995). Odonate taxa disturbance (Castella 1987; Varghese et al., are ideal models for the investigation of the 2014). Globally around 5,952 species of impact of global warming and climate odonates have been described; of which 503 SCIENCE CHRONICLE - A peer reviewed multidisciplinary science journal Vol .8 No.1&2 (2019) 1 RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSN: 2319-6955 change due to their tropical evolutionary Champaneerkara on the east and history and adaptations to temperate Mulakkuzha Grama Panchayath on West. climates (Nesemann et al., 2011).They play The Randam Puncha wetland area is flat and a crucial role in ecosystem functioning and remains submerged for about three months serve to keep other insects including those in a year from June to August. This area harmful to humans (like mosquitoes, blood receives water from Achenkovil River, high sucking flies, etc.) under control (Nair, lands of Venmoney and adjacent streams. 2011).Not much systematic studies of The major stream that supplies water from odonates have been carried out in Southern Achenkovil River to Randam Puncha is andCentral parts of Kerala which has named Vettuvelichaal. For the last ten years, extensive areas of wetland aquatic habitats. paddy cultivation has not been undertaken in It was in this context that a preliminary this wetland. assessment of the odonate diversity of METHOD Randam Puncha (VettuveliPaada Sekharam) The study was mainly based on direct near Kulanada, Pathanamthitta was under observational method .The whole area taken. The major objectives of the study wassurveyed on foot. No surveys were were to prepare a detailed checklist of carried out during heavy rain. The present Odonate species in Randam Puncha and to study was undertaken from the first week of study the species diversity, abundance, April to second week of June 2016. The evenness and species richness of odonates in survey was based on transect method, a the study area. fixed-route walk (transect) was established at the site and odonates were recorded along MATERIALS AND METHODS the route on a regular (weekly) basis under Study Area: The Randam Puncha wetland reasonable weather conditions. Individual is situated 10 km from Chengannur at Main specimens were photo-documented and the Central Road and covers around 30 hectors images were cross- checked with standard area. It is located in ward number No. XV of references and field guides on odonates such Kulanada Grama Panchayath and is boarded as Fraser (1936), Subramanian (2005) and by Achenkovil River on the South, Kiran and Raju (2013). In case of Mezhuveli Grama Panchayath on the North, difficulties, the specimens were captured using net, photographed and released. SCIENCE CHRONICLE - A peer reviewed multidisciplinary science journal Vol .8 No.1&2 (2019) 2 RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSN: 2319-6955 Survey was carried out once in a week by common damselflies include Ceriagrion walking along the footpaths on the study cerinorubellum and Pseudagrion area in the morning (Between 8.30. am and microcephalum. Their number was 10.30 am). Diversity indices like Shannon- maximum in the months April and May. But Weiner diversity index, Margalef Richness in June their number suddenly dropped. index, Simpson Dominance index, and Pielou Evenness index were used to assess DISCUSSION the diversity of odonates in Randam Puncha Being the indicators of environmental using PAST Software (Hammer et al., health, odonates are sensitive towards their 2001). surroundings and the changes in their ambience may lead to the changes in their RESULT A total of 18 species of odonates status. Studies in the Western Ghats have representing 3 families were recorded from indicated that change in land use patterns Randam Puncha, Kulanada during the study leads to change in odonate community period (Table 1). Dragon flies represented structure (Subramanian, 2009). by the families Libellulidae and Gomphidae In the present study, Anisoptera and damsel flies represented by the family (Dragonfly) were abundant than the Coenagrionidae were observed. The Zygoptera (damselfly). Fraser (1936) and maximum number was seen in the month of Subramanian (2005) stated that shade and April, and their number decreased in the aquatic vegetation could favour Zygoptera subsequent months. The dragonflies, more than Anisoptera. Anisoptera are Acisoma panorpoides, Aethrimanta abundant in most of the water bodies due to brevipennis, Brachydiplax chalybea, their high dispersal ability (Kadoya et al., Rhyothemis variegata and Orthetrum sabina 2004) and their adaptability to wide range of were the common species spotted on the habitats (Hodgkin and Watson, 1958). site. On the basis of total number of Damselflies were less abundant owing individuals recorded, Libellulidae was the totheir limited dispersal ability as opined by most dominant family. Most of them were Wankhade et al .(2012). It might be also due verycommon near the paddy field. They to unstable environment in the temporary were present in rainy season also. The water bodies and absence of shade cover SCIENCE CHRONICLE - A peer reviewed multidisciplinary science journal Vol .8 No.1&2 (2019) 3 RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSN: 2319-6955 (Clark and Samways, 1996). The abundance cerenorubellum have been reported from of Libellulidae(Anisoptera) and several wetland habitats in India (Rathod et Coenagrionidae (Zygoptera) in the present al., 2012). Species richness and diversity study could be due to their shorter life cycle of Odonata are also influenced by the size of and widespread distribution (Norma-Rashid the temporary water bodies (Wankhade et et al., 2001) and their tolerance to wide al., 2012).Satisfactory species richness and range of habitats (Samways, 1989). abundance at Randam Puncha area could be Dragon flies represented by Libellulidae attributed to the size of the water body and were found to be the most dominant family less pollution. Species richness of an area is at Randam Puncha. As in many other studies dependent on the availability of food, this family is also widely represented in climate, evolutionary history and predation surveys elsewhere locally and globally pressure. Diversity indices are dependent on (Kalita et al., 2014). They can be seen in a two factors, such as species richness and wide range of aquatic as well as terrestrial evenness. It is directly correlated with the habitats. This is one of the two largest stability of the ecosystem and will be higher families worldwide and dominates the in the biologically controlled system and dragonfly fauna of standing water in every will be low in polluted ecosystem. continent. The dominant damselflies Brachythemis contaminata is an indicator of observed in the present study namely, polluted water. Pseudagrion microcephalum and Ceriagrion SCIENCE CHRONICLE - A peer reviewed multidisciplinary science journal Vol .8 No.1&2 (2019) 4 RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSN: 2319-6955 Table 1: :List of Odonata species recorded from Randam Puncha,Kulanada during the period April to June 2016 Sl.No Scientific Name Common Name Sub Order Family 1 Acisoma panorpoides Asian pintail/ Anisoptera Libellulidae bulb bodied Skimmer/Trumpe t-