Faunal diversity of Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) of Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, Meghalaya, northeastern India

Abstract

Thirty-four species of Cladocera, belonging to 24 genera and seven families, documented from the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve of Meghalaya indicate fairly speciose and diverse taxocoenosis and comprise 57.7% of species known from this state. Coronatella anodonta is the first confirmed report from India and two species are new records from Meghalaya. Disperalona caudata is an interesting Australasian element and a number of species show regional distributional importance. The Cladocera of the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve show tropical characteristics with Cosmopolitan > Cosmotropical species, and are characterized by a distinct richness of the littoral-periphytonic members of the Chydoridae as well as a paucity of limnetic elements. The species richness of Cladocera in various localities ranges between 11-24 (15±3) species.