117
M. Rawat et al. (eds.), Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-2178-4_9, © Springer India 2015
Abstract
The present paper deals with the update on odonate fauna of Rajasthan,
based on earlier records. All together, there are 53 species belonging 34
genera, 8 families under 2 suborders with 15 species common to Arabia
and 51 to Himalaya which confi rms the linkage of Rajasthan and Thar
Desert to Sahara Desert and Palaearctic Region. A list of 20 more species,
recently recorded from southern part of the state, has also been added.
Keywords
Odonate • Rajasthan • Distribution • Checklist
9
Odonate Fauna of Rajasthan, India
with Links to Arabia and Himalaya
Akhlaq Husain *
Introduction
The odonate fauna of Rajasthan has attracted the
attention of various workers (Agarwal 1957 ;
Bose and Mitra 1976 ; Prasad and Thakur 1981 ;
Thakur 1985 ; Tyagi and Miller 1991 ; Prasad and
Varshney 1995 ; Prasad 1996a , b , 2004a , b ;
Chandra and Sharma 2010 ; Sharma 2010a , b , c ,
2011a , b , 2012 ; Sharma and Dhadeech 2010 ,
2011 ; Sharma and Sewak 2010a , b ; Sharma and
Kankane 2012 ; Husain 2011 ; Husain and Sharma
2012 ; Palot and Soniya 2000 ) during the past but
no consolidated and update account of the total
species is available and hence an attempt in this
regard has been made. The old records are generally limited to mere lists. In all there are 53 species belonging 34 genera, 8 families under 2
suborders with 15 (28.30 %) species common to
Arabia and 51 (96.23 %) to Himalaya which is
interesting from zoogeographical point of view
and confi rms the theory of the linkage of ‘Indian
Desert’ to Sahara Desert and Palaearctic Region.
Colouration/ measurements of species are followed after Fraser ( 1933 , 1934 , 1936 ), Prasad
( 1996b , 2004a , b , 2007 ) and Subramanian ( 2009 ).
Rajasthan
Rajasthan is the largest state of India by area
(10.4 %, covering 342,239 km
2
), located between
23° 30′ and 30° 11′ N and 69° 29′ and 78° 17′ E
in north-west, which parallels the Sutlej-Indus
river valley along its border with Pakistan to the
west. It is also bordered by Gujarat to the southwest, Madhya Pradesh to the south-east, Uttar
Pradesh and Haryana to the north-east and Punjab
A. Husain (*)
41, Hari Vihar, Vijay Park , Dehra Dun 248 001 ,
Uttarakhand , India
e-mail: drakhlaqhusain@gmail.com
* Ex. Scientist - E, Zoological Survey of India
M. Rawat et al. (eds.), Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-2178-4_9, © Springer India 2015
Abstract
The present paper deals with the update on odonate fauna of Rajasthan,
based on earlier records. All together, there are 53 species belonging 34
genera, 8 families under 2 suborders with 15 species common to Arabia
and 51 to Himalaya which confi rms the linkage of Rajasthan and Thar
Desert to Sahara Desert and Palaearctic Region. A list of 20 more species,
recently recorded from southern part of the state, has also been added.
Keywords
Odonate • Rajasthan • Distribution • Checklist
9
Odonate Fauna of Rajasthan, India
with Links to Arabia and Himalaya
Akhlaq Husain *
Introduction
The odonate fauna of Rajasthan has attracted the
attention of various workers (Agarwal 1957 ;
Bose and Mitra 1976 ; Prasad and Thakur 1981 ;
Thakur 1985 ; Tyagi and Miller 1991 ; Prasad and
Varshney 1995 ; Prasad 1996a , b , 2004a , b ;
Chandra and Sharma 2010 ; Sharma 2010a , b , c ,
2011a , b , 2012 ; Sharma and Dhadeech 2010 ,
2011 ; Sharma and Sewak 2010a , b ; Sharma and
Kankane 2012 ; Husain 2011 ; Husain and Sharma
2012 ; Palot and Soniya 2000 ) during the past but
no consolidated and update account of the total
species is available and hence an attempt in this
regard has been made. The old records are generally limited to mere lists. In all there are 53 species belonging 34 genera, 8 families under 2
suborders with 15 (28.30 %) species common to
Arabia and 51 (96.23 %) to Himalaya which is
interesting from zoogeographical point of view
and confi rms the theory of the linkage of ‘Indian
Desert’ to Sahara Desert and Palaearctic Region.
Colouration/ measurements of species are followed after Fraser ( 1933 , 1934 , 1936 ), Prasad
( 1996b , 2004a , b , 2007 ) and Subramanian ( 2009 ).
Rajasthan
Rajasthan is the largest state of India by area
(10.4 %, covering 342,239 km
2
), located between
23° 30′ and 30° 11′ N and 69° 29′ and 78° 17′ E
in north-west, which parallels the Sutlej-Indus
river valley along its border with Pakistan to the
west. It is also bordered by Gujarat to the southwest, Madhya Pradesh to the south-east, Uttar
Pradesh and Haryana to the north-east and Punjab
A. Husain (*)
41, Hari Vihar, Vijay Park , Dehra Dun 248 001 ,
Uttarakhand , India
e-mail: drakhlaqhusain@gmail.com
* Ex. Scientist - E, Zoological Survey of India