Available online at www.pelagiaresearchlibrary.com Pelagia Research Library Advances in Applied Science Research, 2014, 5(6):126-131 ISSN: 0976-8610 CODEN (USA): AASRFC 126 Pelagia Research Library Diversity and abundance of Odonata in Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand, India S. K. Sajan 1* , Jenis R. Patel 1 , Manish K. Bakshi 1 , Amrendra K. Singh 1 , S.E.H. Kazmi 2 , Anil K. Mishra 3 and P. Anand 3 1 Wild India, Behind Junior DAV School, Gandhi Nagar, Kanke Road, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India 2 Field Director, Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand 3 Divisional Forest Officers (Buffer& Core Respectively), Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The Odonata survey on diversity and abundance of Palamau Tiger Reserve was carried out for the first time to gives a preliminary checklist of species within the reserve. Total 30 species of Odonata were recorded at seven different ranges of which 20 species from Anisoptera and 10 species from Zygoptera. The54% species was recorded from Libellulidae family (16) followed by 13% Coenagrionidae (4), 10% from Calopterygidae (3), 7% from both Gomphidae and Aeshnidae and 9% from others families respectively.The Shannon index shows that Kutku and Baresanar ranges have maximum diversity, whereas Chhipadohar West and Betla having least diverse area.Jaccard index indicate the similarities between Baresanar and Kutku, Betla and Chhipadohar East, Garu East and Garu West respectively.Earlier 17 species recorded from this region by Zoological Survey of India. Out of four species Rhyothemis flavescens, Trithemis pallidinervis, Potamarcha congener and Lestes viridula have been not sighted this time. Current survey deals with 13 new record for this reserve. Key words: Odonata, Diversity, Abundance, Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION The order Odonata comprises with dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera) are primitive amphibiotic insects [10][5][13]. They are carnivorous insects inhabiting marshy areas. The males usually remain near water whereas the female come there to breed and lay eggs in aquatic habitat [1] beside that the nymphs are biological indicators of aquatic pollution [2]. Ecologically and economically these insects plays a significance role in destroying noxious flies and mosquitoes, as well as the smaller moths which are regarded as pests [2] [3] [4][10]. Worldwide somehow 5500 species of 37 families are recorded in India about 500 species and subspecies of 17 families of odonata are recorded [10][5][7]The study of the odonata fauna of Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR) has been poorly studied by Prasad &Varshney[9] After that there is no significance work has been done in this reserve. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study Area: Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR) situated between latitude 23°25ʹ N to 23°55ʹ N and longitude 83°50ʹ to 84°36ʹ E, was notified in 1973 as one of India’s first nine tiger reserves established under Project Tiger (Fig. 1). It is located in the western part of the Chhotanagpur Plateau and spans an area of 1129.93 square km comprising the Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary and Betla National Park is spread over Latehar, Palamau and Garhwa in Jharkhand. It is