International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Research (IJSER)

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ISSN (Online): 2347-3878, Impact Factor (2014): 3.05

Molluscan Diversity in Lendi River, District

Nanded, Maharashtra, India
*Bimbisar D. Waghmare, A. N. Kulkarni
Department of Fishery Science, N.E.S. Science College, Nanded (M.S.) India

Abstract: Lendi River is one of the tributary of river Manar, originates at Malkapur dist. Latur and joins to river Manar at Degloor,
dist Nanded. Water of this Semi-perennial river is used to perform various activities such as industrial, irrigation, fisheries and human
activities. A total of 15 molluscs species were recorded of which 9 species are Bivalvia and 6 species are Gastropoda. Class Bivalvia was
reported by two orders, viz., Unionida and Veneroida and class Gastropoda had 1 order, viz., Mesogastropoda. The abundance of the
molluscan fauna indicates the rich productivity.

Keywords: Mollusc, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Lendi, River, Nanded

1. Introduction Subramanian and Jaiswal (2012) worked on freshwater

fauna of India. Indian wetlands are habitat for 287 species
Molluscs, a group of most diverse and dominant benthic of molluscs. Species such as Sulcospira hugely, is common
fauna in water bodies, perform a key role in the in streams of peninsular India. Kumar and Vyas (2012)
functioning of aquatic ecosystem. Molluscans are of great revealed about distribution of molluscan community in the
significance because they form the food of fishes and their selected reach of river Narmada in central zone. A total of
productivity play an important link in the food chain. 19 species (13 gastropod and 6 bivalve species) were
Molluscans communities are good indicators of localised recorded during the study. Among gastropoda Thiara
conditions, indicating the water quality. The freshwater tuberculata (Muller) and Tarebia granifera (Lamarck) were
ecosystems in India harbour a rich diversity of molluscs, most dominant species recorded. In bivalvia Parreysia
representing 212 species belonging to 21 families. Of (Radiatula) occata (Lea) and Corbicula striatella
these, 164 species were recorded from rivers and streams (Deshayes) were found nearly at all stations. Waghmare
(Subba Rao, 1993). The presence of thriving population of et.al., (2012) identified freshwater Molluscan diversity of
molluscan indicates the land is not acidic; hardly molluscs Bhima river, near Pandharpur. Alltogether 15 species of
survive beyond a pH of 5 (Boycott, 1934). Biological freshwater molluscs were identified viz. 7 species from
monitoring of rivers using macro invertebrate is accepted Gastropoda and 8 species from Pelecypoda (Bivalvia) in
as a useful tool for the assessment of water quality this area. Suryawanshi et.al., (2012) studied biodiversity of
(Hellawell, 1986). molluscs from river Godavari, reservoir and pond and
reported 24 species of fresh water molluscs. Maximum
Several investigations were undertaken on major benthic species were collected from Derla tank while minimum
animal groups of freshwater system. Notable contributions species were collected from Godavari river.
to our knowledge of molluscan fauna have been made by
several authors. Amanullah and Hameed (1996) studied Lendi River flows in two district of Maharashtra, Latur
molluscan diversity in Kaveri river system. A total 13 and Nanded. It originates at village Malkapur in Taluka
species of molluscs were recorded, of which 8 species Udgir and Latur district. The total length of Lendi River
were gastropods and 5 species of bivalves. The gastropod from its origin to drain is 125 km. In Nanded District River
species were grouped under 5 different families Lendi starts near village Bamni in Mukhed taluka, and it
(Viviparidae, Thiaridae, Pilidae, Lymnaeidae and covers total length in Nanded district is about 65 km. and a
Planorbidae) and the family Thiaridae was the most major project is under construction at Gonegao. The aim of
dominant group representing 50% of the total gastropod present research work revealed about distribution of
population. Five species of bivalve were classed under 2 molluscan community in the selected reach of River Lendi.
different families namely Unionidae and Corbiculidae.
Roy and Gupta (2010) worked on Molluscan Diversity in 2. Material & Methods
river Barak and its Tributaries in Assam. A total of 16
molluscan taxa belonging to 2 classes viz., Gastropoda and Study Area: For the study of molluscan diversity in river
Bivalvia 4 orders, 5 families and 9 genera were recorded Lendi three sampling stations (S-I Mukramabad, S-II
from 12 different sites on River Barak and its tributaries Gonegaon & S-III Bahegaon road) were selected on the
like Chiri, Sonai, Rukni, Ghagra and Katakhal. The snail, right bank of river Lendi, out of them two stations are in
Brotia costula episcopalis (Lea), and the bivalve Mukhed taluka and one station is in Degloor taluka,
Lamellidens marginalis (Lamark) were the most district Nanded. Station-I: Mukramabad: This station is
ubiquitous species in the river system. Dahegaonkar et.al., located at the height of 394 meter above M.S.L. in
(2011) studied diversity of benthic macro invertebrates in between the latitude 18o 28' & 44.33''N and longitude 77o
two lotic ecosystem. Molluscan species showed their 21' & 58.20''E. Depth was 2 to 15 feet and width was 110
dominance by contributing six species from the meter. Station-II: Gonegaon: This station is located at the
Gastropods and two from Pelecypods. height of 384 meter above M.S.L. in between latitude 18o
31' & 13.63''N and longitude 77o 25' & 5.38''E. The depth

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ISSN (Online): 2347-3878, Impact Factor (2014): 3.05
ranges from 2 to 9 feet and width is about 60 meter. Macro invertebrates of Lendi river rich in Molluscan
Station is 6 to 7 km away from station-I. Station-III: diversity. Total 15 species of molluscs were identified
Bahegaon Road (Degloor): This station is located at the from river & it indicates that productivity is rich. The
height of 363 meter above M.S.L. in between latitude 18o species inhabiting at the bottom play an important role in
32' & 41.32''N and longitude 77o 33' & 28.07''E. The depth converting organic matter together with the meiobenthos
ranges from 5 to 20 feet and width is 160 meter. It is 10 in to biomass which in turn is consumed by the fishes.
km away from station-II. Thus the molluscs help in the secondary productivity and
form an important component in the food chain & web of
Collection, Preservation and Identification: Molluscs the river ecosystem.
were collected by hand picking method and preserved in
5% formalin for further study. Collected molluscs were 4. Acknowledgement
washed, photographed with the help of digital camera and
identified as per Tonapi (1980) and Subba Rao (1989). The authors are thankful to Principal, N.E.S. Science
College, Nanded for providing laboratory & library
3. Results & Discussion facilities. The first author is thankful to UGC for financial
support and encouragement through awarding Maulana
A total of 15 (Fifteen) taxa were recorded from all Azad National Fellowship for Minority Candidates (2009).
sampling sites during the period of study from 2010-2012.
The molluscan community was represented by two classes, References
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Table 1: Shows List of Molluscs identified at various stations of River Lendi

Sr. No. Classification Station-I Station-II Station-III

I Class-Bivalvia
A Order-Unionida
I Family-Unionidae
A Subfamily-Unionacea
1 Lamellidens corrianus(Lea) + + +
2 Lamellidens marginalis (Lamark) + + +
B Subfamily-Parreysiinae
3 Parreysia corrugate(Mueller) + - +
4 Parreysia cylindrica(Lea) - - +
5 Parreysia favidens (Benson) + - +
6 Parreysia khadakvaslaensis - - +
7 Parreysia shurtleffiana (Lea) - + -
B Order-Veneroida
II Family-Corbiculidae
8 Corbicula peninsularis (Prashad) + - -
9 Corbicula striatella(Deshayes) - - +
II Class-Gastropoda
C Order-Mesogastropoda
III Family-Bithyniidae
C Subfamily-Bithyniinae
10 Gabbia orcula + - +
IV Family-Pilidae
11 Pila globosa + + +
V Family-Viviparidae
D Subfamily-Bellamyinae
12 Bellamya bengalensis (Lamark) + - +
VI Family-Thiaridae
E Subfamily-Thiarinae
13 Thiara lineata (Gray) + + +
14 Brotia costula ( Lea) - - +
15 Thiara tuberculata (Mueller) + + +

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