Diversity and distribution of odonates in Rani Reserve Forest, Assam, India

Odonata are the bioindicators of freshwater ecosystem health and is recognised as an excellent ‘flagship’ group among insects. Baseline knowledge on diversity distribution odonates over spatiotemporal scale key to biodiversity conservation. Rani Reserve Forest Assam a mosaic all habitat types suitable for odonates. The present work aims at studying Odonates in Forest. study was carried out from December 2014 November 2017 by categorising area into three major types: 1. lentic system, 2. lotic system 3. terrestrial woodland. A total 67 species belonging 44 genera, representing 11 families were recorded. First published records species, Onychothemis testacea (Libellulidae), Philoganga montana (Philogangidae) Indocnemis orang (Platycnemididae) state also provided herewith. Species richness highest whereas recorded lowest running waters larger forested streams. Shannon index indicated that relatively diverse (2.95) smaller streams showed evenness (0.87). Libellulidae (43%) found be most dominant family suborder Anisoptera followed Coenagrionidae (22%) Zygoptera. Philogangidae (1%) number species. Taxonomically related distinct ecological segregation within these different occupying microhabitats therein.