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

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B.K. Sharma
S. Sharma

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 plus or minus 3) species.

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Communications
Author Biographies

B.K. Sharma

Drs. B.K Sharma specialize in aquatic biodiversity and limnology and have made significant contributions to faunal diversity, biogeography and ecology of freshwater zooplankton of India. The corresponding author is a Professor in Department of Zoology and Dean, School of Life Sciences, NEHU, Shillong.

S. Sharma

Sumita Sharma specialize in aquatic biodiversity and limnology and have made significant contributions to faunal diversity, biogeography and ecology of freshwater zooplankton of India. The corresponding author is a Professor in Department of Zoology and Dean, School of Life Sciences, NEHU, Shillong.