Research Paper Volume : 2 | Issue : 3 | Mar 2013Biology • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 Distribution of Pteropodid Bats in KEYWORDS: Distribution, Richness, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari Megachiroptera, C. sphinx, P.giganteus Districts of Tamilnadu, South India Sudhakaran, M. R Department of Zoology, Sri Paramakalyani College, Alwarkurichi-627 412, Tamilnadu, India Paramanantha D., School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625 012, Tamilnadu, Swami Doss India. Parvathiraj, P Department of Zoology, Sri Paramakalyani College, Alwarkurichi-627 412, Tamilnadu, India. ABSTRACT This study was mainly done to access the distributional pattern of megachiropterans in the plains of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts of Tamilnadu, South India. Three species of megachiropterans ie., C. sphinx, R. leschenaulti and P. giganteus was observed to present in this area. On evaluating the species richness, Tirunelveli district was observed to have a higher value (C. sphinx Dmg = 1.497 , R. leschenaulti Dmg = 0.724 and P. giganteus Dmg = 0.609) than that of the other two districts. INTRODUCTION of Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Ramanathapuram. This district Bats form the second largest mammalian order, representing a has also got diverse geographical and physical features such as quarter of all mammals [1]. They belong to the Order Chirop- lofty mountains and low plains, dry Teri structures, seacoast tera and on the basis of their specialization in feeding habits and sub orders Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera. Megachirop- and thorny scrub jungles. It lies in 08º 45’of N latitude and 78º teramorphological are predominantly adaptations; fruit bats eaters are and broadly Microchiroptera, classified into which two 3.13’ Kanyakumari E longitude. district form the majority of bat species globally, feed mostly on insects. Kanyakumari is the southern most district of Tamil Nadu. The The distributional study made by Bates and Harrison [2] on Indian bats is found to be an important guide for chiropterolo- gists. Ecology related studies of megachiropterans are very few climaticdistrict lies condition, between which 77o 15’ is suitableand 77o for36’ growing E longitudes a number and 8oof and found to be crucial considering the rate at which habitat food03’ and crops 8o and35’ roostingN Latitudes. habitat The for district bats. has a favourable agro- available for them are being lost [3]. Distribution, survey and ecological studies are found to be important, because they not B. Survey only bring out knowledge about the diversity of bat fauna but Survey on distribution of megachiropteran bats was conducted also on the habit and habitat requirements and the conserva- in the plains of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts tion strategies of bats [4]. A total of 120 species of bats is found of Tamilnadu, South India for a period of one year from June to be present in India including 14 species of Megachiropteran 2011 to May 2012. Periodic visits were made to the bat roosting bats [2]. Distributional and habitat studies would help to evalu- sites throughout the plains. Bat roosts were located based on ate the species richness, dominance and evenness in the area the local enquiries from the people. Field visits were made to which will be helpful in developing strategies for conservation observe the diurnal roosting sites of pteropodids in the study of animals. Species richness is a measure used as an indicator area, all the bat roosting places like enclosed roosts, tents and of diversity of animals. Kunz [5]reported that the richness and open foliages of trees were surveyed. Various types of enclosed diversity of bats depends on the availability of food sources and roosts like temples, caves, tunnels, abandoned houses, and oth- identical roost sources. er man-made structures in the study area were observed. The information regarding the lability of roost by bats was collected This study was done in the southern most part of Tamilnadu, from the local peoples. which is situated in the foot hills of southern Western Ghats. A very few studies related to the distribution of bats have been C. Diversity Indices done during the past years in this area i.e., tent construction in Varieties of indices are available to quantify biological commu- Cynopterus sphinx [6], distributional study on microchiropter- nities. The diversity measures can be divided into 3 main cat- egories. They are, 1) Species richness 2) Species dominance and 3) Evenness [9]. Species richness was calculated by using Mar- Onans the [7], whole, and movement information of Indian available flying on foxdistribution [8]. of megachi- ropterans in this part of the Indian sub continent is found to be index, and species dominance was calculated by using Berger- very scanty. Hence the present investigation was made to survey Parkergalef’s index,index. speciesThey were evenness calculated was calculatedby using the by formulae using Sheldon given the megachiropterans in the Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanya- below, kumari districts of Tamilnadu and to evaluate the species rich- ness, dominance and evenness. 1) Margalef’s index: Species richness measures provide an instantly comprehensi- MATERIALS AND METHODS ble expression of diversity. It is calculated using the formula, a. Study Area 1. Tirunelveli district Dmg = (S – 1)/ In N Tirunelveli the penultimate southern most district of Tamil Where, Nadu, is described as a microcosm of the state, owing to its S = Number of species present in each taluk mosaic and diverse geographical and physical features such N = Number of individuals as lofty mountains and low plains, dry teri structures, rivers and cascades, seacoast and thick inland forest, sandy soils 2) Berger-Parker diversity index: Berger-Parker index is employed to determine whether there is any change in the dominance of species in each taluk. It express- and protected wild life. Tirunelveli district lies between 08o es the proportional importance to the most abundant species. 2.8’ andTuticorin 09o 23’ district N latitude and 77o 09’ and 77o 54’ E longitude. The formula for calculating the Berger-Parker index is Tuticorin district is bounded by the Bay of Bengal and districts d = N max/N IJSR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 3 Research Paper Where,Volume : 2 | Issue : 3 | Mar 2013 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 Tirunelveli 11 1 37 N = the total number of individuals Nmax = Number of individuals in the most abundant species. Gandhinagar 20 6 53 Tirunelveli Kunnatur 13 3 3) Sheldon Evenness Index: Vizhagam 22 4 67 Species evenness (or Equitability) is a measure of the number of in- 8 38 dividuals with in the species population. Evenness is greatest when Pettai 6 1 species are equally abundant. It is calculated by using the formula Palayamkottai 23 6 93 18 Pillayarkulam 2 - 5 9 Palayamkottai `Where, Thirutu 5 1 16 E = H’/S Santhinagar 9 3 21 The formula for calculating the Shannon diversity index is, Siavalperi 13 4 35 H’ = the value of Shannon index Padmaneri 7 2 17 Where, PiH’ = the- å pi proportional In pi abundance of the ith species (ni / N) 10 Nanguneri Alwarkulam 2 1 5 S = Total no of individuals in each taluk. Nanguneri 4 1 9 Karivalam 7 2 15 RESULTS Study on distribution of megachiropteran bats in the plains of 11 Sankarankovil Puthur 3 1 9 Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, and Kanyakumari districts of southern Sankarankovil 6 1 17 Tamilnadu, south India revealed that three species of megachi- ropterans were found to present namely Cynopterus sphinx, Distribution of C. sphinx in Tuticorin district Rousettus leschenaulti and Pteropus giganteus. taluks (Map 1). Distribution of Cynopterus sphinx In Tuticorin district, C.sphinx was observed in 24 places in 8 Distribution of C. sphinx in Tiruneveli district In Tirunelveli district, C.sphinx was observed in 42 places in 11 taluks (Map 1). In Ambasamudram taluk 12 bat roosting tents sphinx. In Alankulam taluk 17 bat roosting tents were identi- were observed in 3 places with a total of 48 individuals of C. afied total in 3of places 73 individuals. with a total In ofSchenkottai 40 individuals. taluk In23 Tenkasi bat roosting taluk 26 bat roosting tents were identified in 4 different places with withtents awere total identified of 22 individuals. in 3 places In V.K.with Puthur a total talukof 61 a individuals. total of 13 In Sivagiri taluk 9 bat roosting tents were identified in 2 places individuals. In Radhapuram taluk 30 bat roosting tents were bat roosting tents were identified in 2 places with a total of 27 totalidentified of 205 in individuals.9 places with In a Palayamkottaitotal of 75 individuals. taluk 52 In bat Tirunelveli roosting taluk 69 bat roosting tents were identified in 4 places with a placestents were with identified a total of 43in 5individuals places with (Table a total 1). of 173 individuals. In Sankarankoil taluk 16 bat roosting tents were identified in 3 S. Number of Total Taluk Place roost number of No Harem Solitary individuals Pudukudi 4 1 12 Ambasu 1 mudram Kallidaikurichi 3 1 14 V.K. Puram 5 2 22 Alangulam 9 3 20 2 Alangulam Nallur 4 2 9 Iyanthankattalai 4 1 10 Tenkasi 6 1 17 Puliyangudi 7 2 22 3 Tenkasi Courtallam 4 26 kadayanullur 5 1 13 places with a total of 175 individuals. In Tiruchendur taluk 17 8 Puliyarai 2 22 In Srivaikundam taluk 44 bat roosting tents were identified in 8 4 Schenkottai Schenkottai 7 1 19 total of 49 individuals. In Kovilpatti taluk 16 bat roosting tents Vallam 98 3 20 bat roosting tents were identified in 4 different places with a- Sivagiri 5 3 10 5 Sivagiri Rayagiri 4 1 11 withwere a identified total of 21 in individuals. 2 places with In Vilathikulam a total of 37 talukindividuals. 17 bat roostIn Et- V.K.Puthr 7 2 15 tayapuram taluk 9 bat roosting tents were identified in 2 places- 6 V.K.