Faunal diversity of odonata at rankala lake, kolhapur, maharashtra

Odonates are excellent habitat indicators of present and past environmental conditions in aquatic habitats. The objective of the present study was to check out the diversity and abundance of Odonates around the lentic habitat, Rankala Lake. A total of 81 individuals was recorded from four localities around the Rankala Lake comprising of ten species (1 unidentified) of dragonflies and three species of damselflies. Family Libellulidae was the most representd (nine species) while family Coenagrionidae was represented by three species. Among four selected sites, Choupati site has shown maximum diversity (H=2.187); however, species abundance was found to be more at Padpath Udyan site. This latter site has plenty of aquatic vegetation dominated by Sacciolepis indica and Alternantheraparonychioides and shallow water. The Shannon-Weiner index (H) was 2.187 at Rankala Choupati, followed by 1.858 at Tambat Kaman and Fish Seed Centre and 1.588 at Padpath Udyan. Margalef’s richness (D_mg) index was found to be 3.246, 1.443, 2.148 and 1.406 at localities 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The present study indicates that the aquatic habitat with good vegetation is most suitable for Odonata life and open area is having the high species richness and H index than in a water body.