Odonata diversity of mid-elevation catchments of the Bavali river from Coorg landscape of central Western Ghats, peninsular India

Abstract

The odonate diversity and distribution of the mid-elevation catchment area of Bavali River in the Coorg landscape of central Western Ghats is discussed. A total of 114 species of odonates including 32 Western Ghat endemic species were recorded from the study areas of Kanichar Gramapanchayath (KGP) which include 69 dragonflies (Anisoptera) and 45 damselflies (Zygoptera). Family Libellulidae dominated the odonate diversity with 39 species followed by Coenagrionidae (18 species) and Gomphidae (15 species). Cyclogomphus flavoannulatus Rangnekar et al., 2019 reported in this study is the first report from Coorg landscape of central Western Ghats. The study area harbours 52.53 per cent of the Western Ghats (WG) and 60.64 per cent of the odonate diversity of Kerala. Additionally, it includes 36.78 per cent of WG and 42.67 per cent of endemic odonates of Kerala. About 28.07 per cent of the odonates recorded from the area are endemic to WG. Among the 114 species identified from the area, as per the IUCN Red List of Threatened species, there were 87 ‘least concern’ species, 18 species were ‘data deficient’, four species belong to ‘near threatened’ category, three species belong to ‘not assessed’ category and two species belong to ‘vulnerable’ category. None of the species listed in the study area is protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022. This area lying outside any designated Protected Area harbours the largest number of odonate species in any region of Kerala known so far and shows high diversity and endemism comparable to that of other protected areas.