I J R B A T, Special Issue Feb 2016: 29-32 ISSN 2347 – 517X INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCHES IN BIOSCIENCES, AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY © VISHWASHANTI MULTIPURPOSE SOCIETY (Global Peace Multipurpose Society) R. No. MH-659/13(N) www.vmsindia.org MOLLUSCAN DIVERSITY IN SAIGATA LAKE OF BRAMHAPURI TALUKA, DIST- CHANDRAPUR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA S. D. Misar 1, A. A. Dhamani 2 and P. R. Chavhan 3 1De partment Of Zoology,Janata Mahavidyalaya Chandrapur ,(M.S.) India. 2Departme nt Of Zoology, Gramgeeta Mahavidyalaya Bhisi, ,(M.S.) India. 3De partment Of Zoology, S.S.S.College Ashti,(M.S.) India. [email protected] Abstract: Many freshwater molluscan species are at the risk, due to loss and degradation of aquatic habitats by anthropogenic activities. They were frequently considered as a bioindicator organisms,and there productivity play important link in food chain of aquatic fauna . In present study molluscan species were collected from Saigata lake near Bramhapuri from July 2014 to December 2014. During the present investigation, a total of 19 molluscan taxa belonging to 2 classes, viz., gastropoda and bivalvia, 14 families were recorded. Out of the 19 species, 15 gastropods and 4 bivalves we re recorded. Among the gastropoda group, Pila globosa was most dominant followed by viviparous Bengalensis, lymnaea acuminate , Lymnea auricularia , among bivalvia the dominant species was Pisidium personatum, followe d by, Lamellidens marginalis , Pisidium casertanum and Unio crassus . The study indicates that the molluscan community could be explored for possible use as biomonitors of pollution in the lake. Keywords : mollusca, gastropoda, bivalvia, biomonitor, saigata. Introduction that molluscs are bio-indicators of freshwater Se veral investigation were undertaken pollution. on major benthic animal group of freshwater Molluscans are of great significance system,notable contribution to our knowledge of because they form the food of fishes and the ir molluscan fauna have been made by several productivity play an important link in the food authers.In view of the rapid and radical chain. Benthic organisms are detirivores and degradation of aquatic habitats worldwide, an form an important link in the food chain. On increasing amount of research is being account of their ability to conve rt low quality unde rtaken to de termine the specific and low energy detritus into better quality food composition in benthic communities. Growing for highe r organisms in the food web with the efforts are be ing made to describe, map and unfolding of importance of benthos in food unde rstand biodive rsity patterns at a wide range chain, be nthic productivity has been correlated of spatial scales (Gray et al., 1990; Gray, 2001). with fish resources. Molluscans communitie s Aquatic ecosystem provides a home to many are good indicators of localized conditions, species including phytoplanktons, zooplanktons, indicating the water quality. The presence of aquatic plants, insects, molluscans etc. They are thriving populations of molluscan indicates the organized at many leve ls from smallest building land is not acidic; hardly molluscs survive blocks of life to complete ecosystems, beyond a pH of 5. (Boycott 1934). encompassing communities, populations, Seve ral workers have pointed out that species and gene tic leve ls. All aquatic macrobenthic fauna provides a valuable tool as ecosystems around the globe are generally indicator of past and present water quality from colonized by the representatives of phylum pollutional and in general stress viewpoint Arthropoda and Mollusca. Benthic inve rtebrates (Hussainy and Abdulappa, 1967; Rama Rao et occupy the bottom of water body. The functional al ., 1978; Sinha et al. , 1989, 1991). Harman role of benthic communities in the trophic (1974) has pointed out that molluscs are dynamics of river ecosystem is well bioindicators of freshwater pollution. Compared acknowledged. The composition, distribution of to large number of studies conducted in Europe benthic organisms over a pe riod of time provide and USA on the use of benthic index of the ecosystem. In recent years, there is macroinvertebrates in the monitoring and a greater emphasis world over for be tter assessment of water quality, very few unde rstanding of be nthic e nvironment. Clarke investigations have been carrie d out in India (1979) attempted to show the utility of molluscs (Gupta 1994; Sivaramakrishnan et al ., 1996). in primary classification of the rive rs in their various trophic status stages. Choubisa (1992) Materials and Methods has collected 32 species of molluscs from Five sampling sites were selected that various freshwater habitats of southe rn represent a range of unimpacted to impacted Rajasthan. Harman (1974) has also pointed out reaches in the lake which is located at 19.80 29 I J R B A T, Special Issue Feb 2016: 29-32 ISSN 2347 – 517X longitude and 20.61 latitude. The mollusks molluscan fauna. Highe r abundance of we re collected by taking three kick net samples Molluscans with increased water, temperature from a unit area the contents of the nets were and decomposed organic matter has been also pooled and preserved in 70% ethanol and were reported by Bath et al (1999). identifie d. In the prese nt study Pila globosa was most dominant followed by viviparous Result bengalensis , Lymnaea acuminate, Lymnea The distribution of macro benthos fauna auricularia , Bellamya crassa , Succinella in normal condition has been reported to be oblongaBorystheniinae starobogatov, Galba dependent on the availability and distribution of truncatula ,Vallonia pulchella , Perpolita preferably food items. In fact, the ir capacity to hammonis , Archimediella fastigiata, Physella exploit areas with optimum food supply might gyrina, Marisa cornuarietis. Among Bivalvia the be explained by their abundance (Grimas 1965). dominant species was Pisidium personatum , During the present investigation carried out, a followed by, Lamellidens marginalis , Pisidium total of 19 molluscan taxa belonging to 2 casertanum and Unio crassus . Viviparous classes, viz., Gastropoda and Bivalvia, 14 bengalensis was the second largest dominant families we re recorded. Of the 19 species, 15 species during the prese nt observation. Micheal gastropods and 4 bivalves were recorded. (1968) recorded a peak of the population of (Table.1 ) Vivipara in April month in We st Bengal; such Discussion peak population was also observed in May and June month in Mandleshwar station. Several Molluscs, a group of most diverse and authors (Shrivastava 1956, 1959; dominant benthic fauna in water bodies, Krishnamoorthi 1979; Michael 1968; Sharma pe rform a key role in the functioning of aquatic (2006) and Gupta 1976) also observed Vivipara ecosystem. Molluscans are of great significance bengalensis as one of the major species among because they form the food of fishe s and their the benthic fauna. Satyamurti (1960) observed productivity play an important link in the food V. bengalensis inhabits polluted water bodies in chain. Molluscans communities are good large numbers especially during hot season, indicators of localised conditions, indicating the buries itself in the mud up to 15 cm depth to water quality. The freshwater ecosystems in aestivate and may be found dead on the bank. india harbour a rich dive rsity of molluscs, The population density of molluscan ge ts representing 212 species belonging to 21 decreased in the pe riod of post monsoon season. families,out of these, 164 species were recorded Olive r (1960) explained that this may be due to from rivers and streams (Subba Rao, 1993). The the sudde n inflow of water from the catchment presence of thriving population of molluscan area or water inle t or outlet system. The indicates the land is not acidic; hardly molluscs maximum diversity of Molluscans was found in survive beyond a ph of 5 (Boycott, 1934). summer season. One of the most important Biological monitoring of rive rs using macro factor which seems to de termine the habitat and inve rtebrate is accepted as a useful tool for the activities of molluscs is the amount of dissolved assessment of water quality (He llawe ll, 1986). salts especially calcium carbonate in water, They are represented in freshwater which is essential material for shell formation bodies by only two classes, gastropoda and (Zahoor et al,2010). Pennak (2004) reported that pe lecypoda (Makie 1998) and a group of most the dissolved oxyge n is the limiting factor for the dive rse and dominant fauna in water bodies. distribution of molluscs, absence of molluscan They pe rform key role in functioning the aquatic population in lake or rive r. The dive rsity of ecosystems. The availability of maximum molluscan were changes in different stations molluscs during summer months could be during present study this was due to the above related to two important ecological factors such as dissolved oxygen, calcium phenomenons. (a). The maximum abundance of carbonate e tc. The bivalve fauna was less rich decomposers settled organic matter and with 4 species only. Of the se, Lamellidens macrophytes on the bottom of water body and, marginalis was the most common, being found (b). Increased water temperature, activating the in 2,3 and 5 stations. The other three species, process of decomposition of these organic viz., Pissidium personatum, Pissidium sediments (Malhotra et al 1996) it seems true casertanum was encountered in 3 sites, while that the fluctuation brought about by these Unio crassus is also was recorded in a three process in