1Department of Zoology, Chikitsak Samuha's S.S & L.S Patkar college of Arts and Science and V.P Varde college of Commerce & Economics, Goregaon ( West ), Mumbai 400104, Maharashtra, India.
2Department of zoology, B.N.N College, Bhiwandi, Thane - 421305
Freshwater molluscans fauna are important biotic component of a freshwater ecosystems and their number and types of Species determine the health of given ecosystem. The present study on freshwater molluscans diversity was conducted from February 2024 to March 2024 at three different Lakes of Taluka Bhiwandi i.e. Varaldevi lake, Diwanshah Lake and Bhadwad Lake. Total 5 Species of Freshwater molluscs were recorded from our study sites, which belong to 4 different Order and 5 different families. Records are mainly based on Photographs and dead Molluscans shell samples, which was collected from our research area. The present Research work is mainly focused on distribution of freshwater mollusc’s diversity of three different Lakes of our research area. Further detailed research work related to Distribution and the Ecology of freshwater molluscs will be carried out in future.
Molluscans is the Second - Largest Phylum of invertebrate’s animal after Arthropods found in various habitat that are divided into freshwater, marine and Terrestrial forms. Originally marine, they have since moved into freshwater and onto land, where their species number has nearly reached that of marine ones [ 1 ]. The estimate number of species of Molluscs today Varies from 80,000 Species (Boss,1971) To 1,35000 Species (Abbott 1989 ), Out of these 31000 to 100000 are Marine, 14000 to 35000 Terrestrial and about 5000 are Freshwater [2,3,4]. There is Numerous Studies on the diversity of freshwater molluscs have been carried out by Various Indian researchers. According to Ramakrishna and Dey (2007 ) nearly 200 Species of freshwater Molluscs were recorded from India which belong to both the Classes - Gastropods and Bivalve [ 5 ]. Tripathi and Mukhopadhyay (2014) have Documented 208 Species of Freshwater molluscs from India [ 6 ]. Recent updated research on freshwater mollusks, carried out by Mukhopadhyay et al. in (May 2017), There are 5000 Species of Freshwater molluscs worldwide, out of which 217 Species were reported from India, which includes 150 Species of Class - Gastropods and 67 Species of Class - Bivalves [ 7 ]. Western ghat is the one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world, which is rich in Freshwater molluscs fauna. According to Arvind et al (2011 ), Total 77 Species of Freshwater molluscs were recorded from Western ghat alone which includes 52 Gastropods and 25 Bivalves species [ 8 ]. But Molluscans fauna of Maharashtra has not been properly studied thoroughly and the Available information on the freshwater Molluscans is Scattered. Before independence few workers like Blanford (1863 1870 ), Preston ( 1915 ), Annandale ( 1919 ), Annandale and Prashad ( 1919 ), Hora ( 1925 ) have made contributions related to Freshwater Molluscs fauna distribution [ 9,10,11,12,13,14 ]. But after independence various researchers like Tonapi and Mulherkar (1963 ), Tonapi ( 1971 ), Subba Rao and Mitra ( 1979 ), Subba Rao ( 1989 ), Surya et al ( 2002 ), Patil and Talmale ( 2003 ), Magare et al ( 2016 ), Wagh et al ( 2019 ), Markad and Pillai ( 2020 ) Have made contribution [ 15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23 ]. But most of the studies were concentrated on Distributional Aspect and none of the authors studied Ecologically [ 24 ].
The main objective of the present study is to Document and analyses the Species richness of freshwater Molluscans diversity of three Different freshwater Bodies.i.e. Varaldevi Lake, Diwanshah Lake and Bhadwad Lake of Taluka Bhiwandi, District Thane. This research work is Completely focused on distribution of freshwater molluscans in our research areas. Further extensive research work related to ecological Aspect of Freshwater molluscans will be carried out in future.
MATERIAL & METHODS
Study location
Varaldevi Lake –
it lies [ 19.278403, 73.061612 ] in Kamatghar.Which is 2.6 km away from Bhiwandi railway station. It is important Largest Lake of Taluka Bhiwandi, Thane District. It is surrounded by Various kind of tree, shrubs and grass etc. It Account for 2 MLD ( Million of liter per day ) of water supply for the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal corporation [ 25 ].
Picture .1. Shows the Varaldevi lake location and Satellite image.
Diwanshah Lake –
it is situated [ 19.293887, 73.046553 ] in Narpoli. which is 3.5 km Away from Bhiwandi railway station. It is second largest Water bodies of Taluka Bhiwandi after Varaldevi Lake [ 26 ]. Local people use this Lake for Fishing and other important thing.
Picture .2. Shows the Diwanshah Lake location and Satellite image
Bhadwad Lake –
it is Located [ 19.283264, 73.078253 ] in Temgharpada, Bhadwad. Which is 4.2 km away from Bhiwandi railway station. This Lake is generally use for religious rituals like Ganesh Visarjan and jogging etc.
Picture .3. Shows the Bhadwad lake location and Satellite image
Data Collection -
The Present study was Conducted from February 2024 to March 2024 at three different lakes of Taluka Bhiwandi, District Thane, Maharashtra. The project is mainly based on freshwater Molluscs dead shell which is found near Shoreline of Lakes. Various kinds of dead shells were collected from Three different Lakes by handpick method. The molluscans shell samples were identified on the basis of Morphological Characteristics by using handbook of freshwater molluscs of India. Records are mainly based on Photographs and dead Molluscan shell samples which was collected from Three different research areas (Lakes). Care was taken to avoid disturbance and harm to the organism during survey.
OBSERVATION & RESULT
Table No - 1 -: List of Freshwater Molluscans shells recorded from three different Lakes of Taluka Bhiwandi i.e - Varaldevi Lake, DiwSanshah Lake & Bhadwad Lake
Table No - 2 -: List of Freshwater Molluscans shells distribution Among three different Lakes of Taluka Bhiwandi, i.e - Varaldevi Lake, Diwanshah Lake & Bhadwad Lake
[ L.C - Least concern, VL - Varaldevi Lake, DL -; Diwanshah Lake, BL - Bhadwad Lake]
Total Five species of Freshwater molluscs were recorded from three different sampling sites of our research area, which belongs to 4 different Order and 5 different families (Table no -1). Molluscs records include 4 Species of Class - Gastropoda and 1 Species of Class - Bivalvia (Table no -1). They were Bellamya bengalensis (Lamarck, 1822), Melanoides tuberculata (Mueller, 1774 ), Indoplanorbis exustus ( Deshayes, 1834 ), Lymnaea sp ( Lamarck, 1799 ) and Lamellidens corrianus ( Lea, 1834 ) was recorded during study time period. Among the recorded species of freshwater Gastropods Bellamya bengalensis and Melanoides tuberculata are found in all three Freshwater Lakes of our research area. While remaining Species of Class - Gastropoda like Indoplanorbis exustus were recorded from Varaldevi Lake and Diwanshah Lake. Lymnaea sp which is also belong to Class Gastropoda were recorded from only Diwanshah Lake. Apart from Gastropods shells, Bivalve shell were also recorded from our sampling site. Lamellidens corrianus which is belong to Class - Bivalvia were Only recorded from Varaldevi Lake (Table no - 2
DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION
As we know Freshwater molluscs fauna are important biotic component of Freshwater ecosystems and it is also representing the health of given Aquatic Ecosystem. Patil and Talmale ( 2005 ) Reviewed land and freshwater molluscs of Maharashtra state and listed 72 Species and Varieties of freshwater molluscs[27,28]. But the Freshwater molluscs fauna of Taluka - Bhiwandi (Which came under western ghat region) are not properly studied. However some researchers like D.S Dehadray and Dr. K.B Sawant(1982) studies on Some Limnological Aspects of Varaldevi lake of Taluka - Bhiwandi, District - Thane. From this study they enlist 6 Species of Freshwater molluscs which belong to 5 different order and 5 different families [ 29 ]. But there is lack of Literature work on Freshwater molluscs of Diwanshah Lake and Bhadwad Lake of Taluka - Bhiwandi. The present Research work is only focus on distribution of freshwater mollusc’s diversity in our research area. According to our Observation, Total 5 different Molluscan Species were reported from three different Lakes of Taluka Bhiwandi. Since it's a short-term Research project, further long-term detailed research is needed to explore the diversity of freshwater molluscs and their Ecology in future.
RECOMMENDATION
The City of Bhiwandi known for its textile industries has the largest number of power loom in the country and is dubbed as the Manchester of India. These textile industries use various chemicals and dyes, but do not have proper disposal system for the waste generated during manufacturing process [ 30 ]. Apart from this the Lakes of Taluka Bhiwandi are increasingly Vulnerable due to Various Anthropogenic Activities. Pollution of Varaldevi lake is mainly due to Washing Vehicle and Clothes, Immersion of religious idol, dumping of religious floral waste and throwing of solid waste. At Diwanshah Lake regular dumping of Slaughter house waste of animals in lake, washing Vehicle etc. are source of Pollution. According to Snehal donde (2020) Bhadwad Lake is more polluted then Varaldevi lake and Diwanshah Lake as per amount of Turbidity,EC,TDS, Chlorides and Phosphorus range are far beyond permissible limit [ 31 ]. This all things put negative impact on health of aquatic ecosystems of lakes.To overcome such kind of problems Strictly monitor all of kind of Unhygienic activities like careless disposal of solid waste, bathing, Swimming etc and moving unfit industries from near lakes to other place. Proper continuous Scientific studies related to Molluscans diversity should be taken in this region. Such kind of Work will help to Assess the functional Molluscans diversity and their Ecology in our study area.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors are extremely grateful extends their gratitude to the Rastriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and Authorities of “Chikitsak Samuhas, S.S & L.S Patkar College of Arts and Science and V.P Varde College of Commerce and Economics Goregaon West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Authors are thankful to their family members and relatives for their encouragement and support during research studies. Authors are also thankful to Dr.Gautam.Zodape sir for their encouragement and necessary Support during the present study.
COMPETING INTERESTS
Authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
REFERENCES
Rohit Yadav , Dilip Kakavipure , Studies On Freshwater Molluscans Shell Diversity At Selected Sites Of Taluka Bhiwandi ( Varaldevi Lake, Diwanshah Lake & Bhadwad Lake )., Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2024, Vol 2, Issue 7, 441-447. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12679170
10.5281/zenodo.12679170
