Diversity of Odonates (Insecta: Odonata) in Fish Farm, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSKHPKV, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India

Dragonflies and damselflies are regarded as beneficial insects because they are carnivorous throughout their life, mostly feeding on smaller insects such as mosquitoes, termites, ants, mayflies, small moths etc. They are widely distributed in freshwater habitats like ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, canals, etc. and although some species roam widely and found far from their breeding sites. The presence of dragonflies and damselflies are good indicators of freshwater ecosystem because they dependent on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats to maintain viable populations (Briers & Biggs, 2003; Samways, 1993). The odonate larvae occupy a great diversity of aquatic habitats and form significant constituent of aquatic food webs involving many invertebrates, fishes and other vertebrates and serving as the dominant invertebrate predators of many aquatic insect larvae and as the prey of fish. The Odonata diversity in fish ponds are not yet studied well. In view of above context, the present attempt was undertaken to evaluate the Odonata diversity in the Fish Farm of Department of Fisheries, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, which is located at 32.097699° N and 76.556835° E in Palampur, Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh. Palampur is situated in the laps of Dhauladar range of mountains at a height of 1,270 meters above sea level.