Molluscan species diversity in lower reaches of the river Swarnarekha

*S. R. Pal
Department of Zoology, S. P. College, Khasmahal, Jamshedpur – 831 002, India.

Received: 29th March 2006; Revised 30th July 2006

Abstract : The present paper deals with molluscan species diversity in the lower reaches of Swarnarekha. The sites were sampled from March 2004 to February 2006. During this period a total of 15 species of freshwater gastropods and 7species of freshwater bivalves belonging to the families Viviparidae, Pilidae, Thiaridae, Lymnaeidae, Planorbidae, Unionidae, Corbiculidae are recorded. Regarding estuarine molluscs of this river 5 species of gastropods and 3 species of bivalves belonging to the families Muricidae, Turbinidae, Naticinae, Mitridae, Ketalidae, Corbiculidae and Donacidae were also recorded. A comparision of species divirsity to that of upper reaches of the river showed that the gastropods species composition is slightly different in the lower reaches in contrast to the upper reaches of the river while bivalves species diversity are same in both the upper and the lower reaches of the river.