Animal diversity in the mangrove forest at Bichitrapur of Balasore district, Odisha, India- A case study

Authors

  • Santanu Mitra
     Zoological survey of India, F.P.S. Building, 27 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata – 700016, West Bengal
  • Sayantani Shaw
     Zoological survey of India, F.P.S. Building, 27 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata – 700016, West Bengal
  • Subhrendu Sekhar Mishra
     Zoological survey of India, F.P.S. Building, 27 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata – 700016, West Bengal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v119/i1/2019/122954

Keywords:

Epi-Fauna, Habitat, In-Fauna, Mangrove Plants, Odisha

Abstract

The present work forms the preliminary study of ecosystem of Bichitrapur in Balasore district, though it covers a small area. A total 56 species of estuarine animals are found in the locality. They are normally mangrove associate animals, found in and over mangrove plants as borers or non-borers. These animals are either harmful to mangrove plants or opportunists by depending on mangroves for shelter or feeding. The dominating group in this mangrove is found to be the Molluscs, comprising 8 species of borers of mangrove-wood and 19 species as opportunistic epi-fauna. Crustaceans are the second diverse group in this ecosystem, represented by 13 species of crabs, 6 species of boring Isopods and a single species of Amphipod. The other epifaunal components comprise a few species of Cnidaria, Polychaetea, Echinoderm and some fishes, which are found on 7 species of mangrove plants in this ecosystem. But they seem to be non-specific to any mangrove plant species. An in-depth study of these faunal components in ecological viewpoints may provide pathway towards conservation and management of the mangrove ecosystems.

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Published

2019-03-23

How to Cite

Mitra, S., Shaw, S., & Sekhar Mishra, S. (2019). Animal diversity in the mangrove forest at Bichitrapur of Balasore district, Odisha, India- A case study. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 119(1), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v119/i1/2019/122954

Issue

Volume 119, Issue 1, 2019

Section

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