CATALOGUE ZOOS' PRINT JOURNAL 20(12): 2094-2099 ZOOPLANKTON COMPOSITION IN SOME PONDS OF HAVERI DISTRICT, KARNATAKA V.A. Kudari 1 , G.G. Kadadevaru 2 and R.D. Kanamadi 3 1 Department of Studies in Zoology, 3 Department of Zoology, Karnatak University, Dharwad, Karnataka 580003, India 2 Department of Zoology, S.S.M.S. College, Athani District, Belgaum. Email: 3 ravishankar_kanamadi@yahoo.com (corresponding author) web supplement © Zoo Outreach Organisation; www.zoosprint.org Manuscript 1380; Received 14 June 2005; Revised received 23 October 2005; Finally accepted 5 November 2005; Date of publication 21 November 2005 2094 December 2005 | ISSN 0973-2535 (Print edition); 0973-2551 (Online edition) ABSTRACT Zooplankton composition of 19 water bodies of Haveri district has been studied in post and pre monsoon season of 2004-2005. A total of 71 species were recorded, 38 of them belonging to rotifera, 22 cladocera, seven copepoda and four ostracoda. Of these, five species i.e. one cladoceran and four rotiferans were reported for the first time from this area. A maximum of 29 species were recorded from Akkialur tank, and only five species were recorded from Makaravalli tank. Frequently recorded rotiferans were Keratella tropica , Habrotrocha bidens , Brachionus calyciflorus, B. diversicornis, Keratella cochlearis, Lecane luna, L. leontina, Fillinia longiseta and F. opoliensis. Common Cladocerans were Diaphanosoma exicum, Ceriodaphnia cornuta, Moina micrura, M. macracopa. The regular copepods were Neodiaptomus strigilipes Heliodiaptomus viduus, Paracyclops fimbiatus , Tropocyclops prasinus and Mesocyclops leuckarti. Common ostracods were Hemicypris fossucula, Ilyocypris gibba and Darwinula sp. The species richness was high in pre-monsoon season compared to post- monsoon season. In Akkialur tank 15 species were found in postmonsoon season whereas 29 species were recorded in premonsoon season. Other tanks also showed the same trend. KEYWORDS Cladocerans, copepods, Haveri, Karnataka, rotifers, species composition, Haveri district covers a geographical area of 4,85,156ha, has one canal, 193 reservoirs (more than 40ha) and 1,601 tanks (less than 40ha). The average annual rainfall is 753mm, and the temperature ranges from 10 0 C to 44 0 C. Studies on freshwater biodiversity of Haveri district are scarce. It has been recently separated from Dharwad district. Most of the limnological studies of undivided Dharwad district were limited to the water bodies in and around the Hubli-Dharwad cities (Patil & Gouder, 1985; Hegde & Huddar, 1995). There is only one survey report on water quality of some selected irrigated tanks of this area (Uttangi, 2001). Zooplanktons occupy an important position in the trophic structure and play a major role in the energy transfer of an aquatic ecosystem. An inadequate knowledge of the zooplankton and their dynamics is a major handicap for better understanding of life processes of fresh water bodies. Pederson et al. (1976) have indicated the importance of such studies since eutrophication is bound with the components and production of zooplankton. Discharges of urban, industrial and agricultural wastes have increased the quantum of various chemicals that enter the waters, which considerably alter their physico-chemical characteristics. Phosphorus and nitrogen inputs from domestic wastes and fertilizers accelerate the process of eutrophication, which alter food chain sequences leading to production of commercially less valuable higher trophic organisms (Rao et al., 1994). One of the main difficulties in studying loss of biodiversity due to eutrophication is the absence of previous records of species composition. The present work was undertaken to study the zooplankton composition of some lentic habitats of Haveri district. MATERIALS AND METHODS Zooplankton samples were collected from 19 lentic habitats of Haveri district (14 0 37'-14 0 76'N & 75 0 7'-75 0 37'E). The collection was made in October 2004 (postmonsoon) and March 2005 (premonsoon). As most of the tanks became dry in March only five samples were collected. The collection was made with horizontal net-tows in the littoral zone using plankton net of 68μm mesh and samples were fixed in 4% formaldehyde. Organisms were identified to the possible taxonomic level (Genus/species), using an optical microscope and a specialized bibliography (Edmondson, 1959; Dhanapathi, 1974, 1976; Dumont & Velde, 1977; Dumont, 1983; Sharma, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1987; Sharma & Michael, 1980, 1987; Rajapaksa & Fernando, 1982; Fernando & Kanduru, 1984; Patil & Gouder, 1982a, 1982b, 1982c, 1989; Hudec, 1987; Sharma & Sharma, 1997). Only qualitative analysis of zooplankton was done. Philodinidae species were identified using fresh samples. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total of 71 species were identified (Table 1); 38 of them belonging to Rotifera, 22 to Cladocera, seven to Copepoda and four species to Ostracoda. Of these, five species are new to this region (1 cladoceran and 4 rotifers). The highest number of species was obtained in the samples from Akkialur tank (29 species) and the lowest number was found in the samples of Makarvalli tank (5 species). During postmonsoon season (October 2004) the zooplankton diversity of various tanks (Table 2) was as follows: Akkialur, 15 spp.; Battigeri, 10 spp.; Budappanalli, 21 spp.; Gangibhavi, 10 spp.; Gudgur, 18 spp.; Hanamapur, 12 spp.; Hattimattur,13 spp.; Heggerikeri, 6 spp.; Hosalli, 22 spp.; Kabbur, 6 spp.; Kadkol, 12 spp.; Krishnapur, 6 spp.; Makarvalli, 5 spp.; Medleri, 17 spp.; Naregal, 17 spp.; Savanur, 9 spp.; Siddapur, 10 spp.; Tadas, 8 spp.; and Timmapur, 20 spp. In premonsoon season (March 2005) species diversity as follows: Akkialur, 29 spp.; Battigerikeri, 19 spp.; Gangibhavi, 14 spp.; Heggerikeri, 12 spp.; and Tadas, 11 spp. Akkialur tank is largely colonized by submerged and emerging macrophytes, which almost completely occupy its surface area. Chydoridae and Macrothricidae members of cladocerans, littoral rotiferns and ostracods favour this kind of environment. W See Images in the web supplement at www.zoosprint.org