The dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, southern Western Ghats, India

Abstract

The odonate diversity of Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, southern Western Ghats (WG) of Kerala state, is discussed in this paper. A total of 181 species belonging to 87 genera and 14 families have been compiled for Kerala and this includes 68 Western Ghats endemics. A total of 116 species of odonates including 33 endemics were recorded for the region. A total of 41 damselflies (Zygoptera) and 75 dragonflies (Anisoptera) were recorded for the sanctuary. Shendurney thus harbours 56.04 % of WG and 64.08 % of the odonate diversity of Kerala. In addition, this includes 48.52% of Kerala and 41.25 % of endemic odonates of Western Ghats. About 29% of all the species recorded for the Shendurney are endemic to WG. With respect to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, one species is ‘Endangered’, three ‘Vulnerable’, two ‘Near Threatened’, 84 ‘Least Concern’, 20 ‘Data Deficient’, and six species whose IUCN Red List status was not assessed. Family Libellulidae (41 species) dominated the odonate diversity, followed by Coenagrionidae (15 species) and Gomphidae (13 species). Regarding the occurrence status, we found that 11 species were Very Common, 42 species were found to be Common, 34 species Not Rare, 10 species were Rare, and 19 species were Very Rare inside the sanctuary. None of the species listed is protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972.