Butterfly Diversity and Abundance Around Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata: A Field Report I InformativeBD

Mousumi Das , from the institute of India. Srija Gan, from the institute of India Bibarta Jha, from the institute of India. and Madhurima Sen, Sneha Jha, from the institute of India. wrote a research article about, Butterfly Diversity and Abundance Around Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata: A Field Report. Entitled, A report on diversity and abundance of butterfly (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) fauna at the surrounding vegetation of Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES). an open access scholarly research journal on Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher. 

Abstract

Butterflies are considered indicator species for conservation planning and environmental monitoring as their diversity and abundance are visibly affected by anthropogenic activities. In this study, the diversity and abundance of butterfly fauna in the surrounding vegetation of Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata, India was assessed to provide baseline information on the size of species richness and prospective utilization in urban planning and conservation. A total of 64 butterfly species under 5 families and 44 genera were recorded over a period of ten months from June 2023 to March 2024. Family Nymphalidae (36.85% of population) was found dominant with 17 genera and 26 species, followed by Lycaenidae (30.72%, 11genera, 12 species), Pieridae (22.77%, 9 genera, 12 species), Papilionidae (7.01%, 3 genera, 9 species) and Hesperiidae (2.65%, 4 genera, 5 species). Eleven species were found legally protected under different Schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Values of different diversity indices such as Shannon’s index (H’=3.69), Pielou’s evenness index (J’=0.89) and Simpson’s index (Ds=0.03) showed a high diversity, evenly distribution and high abundance persisted in the butterfly community. Information from this preliminary study is expected to be useful toward the conservation of the habitat as well as the butterfly fauna in the study area and similar geographic areas.

Read more : Mushroom Diversity Uncovered at Maseno University, Siriba Campus, Kenya | InformativeBD

Introduction

Monitoring biological diversity is becoming an essential tool to estimate the alteration of the environmental quality at the local as well as regional scale. Studies on species diversity and abundance are the prior required element to quantify the environmental impact on biota and any prior species diversity investigations are a prerequisite to adopting habitat management strategies (Nichols and Williams, 2006). Appraisal of taxa-specific species richness capacitates a more realistic and accurate assessment of the ecosystem functions and services derived from the specified taxon (Diaz et al., 2006). Diversity analysis of a single taxon or restricted number of taxa is worthwhile as their presence or absence and abundance records are useful for the population size estimation (Williams et al., 2002; Koleff et al., 2003; MacKenzie, 2005) whereas resource limitation impedes the selection of several taxa or the whole community (Mihindukulasooriya et al., 2014). The diversity of a target taxon varies with the features of the landscapes, more precisely with the nature and quality of the habitat and climatic conditions (Boggs, 1986). Butterflies are one of the best-known insects for their variety, presence in all types of environments, the beauty of their wing colouration and patterns and also for their role as effective ecological indicators of terrestrial ecosystems (Venkataramana, 2010). Hence, butterflies are the potential taxa, chosen for the estimation of biodiversity essential for biological conservation and also for monitoring the environmental conditions (Simonson et al., 2001). Any certain change in environmental quality is readily assessed by the change in their diversity, abundance or sometimes local extinction (Hogsden and Hutchinson, 2004). Moreover, butterflies provide several ecological services which are essential for the sustenance of environmental quality and integrity (Kumar, 2013).

Worldwide, over 19,000 butterfly species have been recorded (Kunte, 2000), of which from India, around 1500 species are documented, including 107 swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae), 521 brushfooted butterflies (Nymphalidae), 109 white and yellow butterflies (Pieridae), 443 small blue butterflies (Lycaenidae) and 321 skippers (Hesperiidae) (Gaonkar, 1996; Kunte, 1997). Diversity and abundance of butterfly species decline day by day with the increase of urban elements like roads, buildings and other concrete constructions and with the expansion of residential, industrial and commercial areas, associated with the depletion of the quantity and quality of natural habitat, habitat degradation or disruption and fragmentation which adversely affects the natural biodiversity of that area (Clark et al., 2007; Malagrino et al., 2008). Urbanization, pollution, excessive usage of fumigant pesticides etc. provide a negative impact on butterfly populations (Pollard and Yates, 1993). Several earlier studies reported the impact of urban development on butterfly fauna, and their richness and abundance in Kolkata and its adjoining areas (Moore, 1882; Niceville, 1885; Ghosh and Siddique, 2005; Ghosh, 2009; Ghosh, 2010; Chowdhury and Chowdhury, 2007; Chowdhury and Das, 2007; Chowdhury and Soren, 2011; Basu Roy, 2011; Biswas et al., 2012; Nair et al., 2014; Biswas et al., 2014; Mukherjee et al., 2016; Maity et al., 2016; Bhattacharya et al., 2018; Mitra et al., 2023). For continuous monitoring of the environmental condition of Kolkata, systematic surveys on butterfly fauna from different regions of Kolkata are essential.

Keeping this view in mind, the present study was undertaken to document the diversity and abundance of butterfly fauna in the surrounding vegetation of Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, to provide necessary information on the conservation management of habitat and butterflies for sustaining ecosystem services.

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Source : A report on diversity and abundance of butterfly (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) fauna at the surrounding vegetation of Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 

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Mushroom Diversity Uncovered at Maseno University, Siriba Campus, Kenya | InformativeBD

George T. Opande, from the institute of Kenya. David M. Musyimi, from the institute of Kenya. and Tirop C. Sarah, from the institute of Kenya.  wrote a research article about, Mushroom Diversity Uncovered at Maseno University, Siriba Campus, Kenya. Entitled, A rich mushroom diversity at Maseno University, Siriba campus, Maseno (Kenya). This research paper published by the International journal of Microbiology and Mycology (IJMM). an open access scholarly research journal on Microbiology. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher. 

Abstract

Mushrooms diversity study is not a new phenomenon, different workers in different parts of the world have always undertaken such studies to better understand the macro fungi flora that occur in those areas. The local non-edible and edible wild mushrooms occurrence, distribution and diversity in Western Kenya and East Africa in general have not been fully understood even though they are useful to urban and rural communities living in this region. Mushrooms are useful to humans as; Source of medicine, Environmental balance, food and ornamentals. Before this study, no study had been conducted in Maseno University Siriba campus, and forest ecosystem to show the existing mushroom flora. This study was therefore initiated to identify and record the available mushroom flora. Maseno university area is located within the geographical coordinates 0°0′ 17.36″ S, 34°36′ 1.62″ E at an altitude of 1503 meters above sea level. The terrain where the collection was made was mainly of built up campus and sloppy forest vegetation, the mean temperature during the collection period was between 19°C and 27°C. Standard sampling was used and the area of study divided into 2 portions/sites. Mushrooms were collected on their vegetative stages and sorted accordingly. The location and substrate on which mushrooms grew were also recorded and photos using a digital camera kept as permanent records. All the species collected were identified based on their morphological characteristics. When identification was complete, Daedalia quercina, Formitopsis gibba, Poliporous cinnabarinus, Xerula radicata, Amanita rannesces, Lycoperdon echinatum, Laccaria bicolor, Clitocybe gibba, Suillus luteu and Daedalia unicolor were the species found to be resident at the Maseno University Siriba campus and the surrounding ecosystem.

Read more : New Range Extension of Pomadasys andamanensis and Siganus fuscescens to Odisha Coast: Morphologicaland Molecular Evidence I InformativeBD

 Introduction

Mushrooms diversity study is not a new phenomenon, different workers in different parts of the world have always undertaken such studies to better understand the macro fungi flora that occur in those areas (Praveen et al, 2014, Phongeun et al 2010, Brown et al, 2006). Yet the local non-edible and edible wild mushrooms occurrence, distribution and diversity in Western Kenya and East Africa in general have not yet been fully documented and understood even though they are consumed as food and used for medicinal aspects by urban and rural communities living in this region.

Maseno University, Siriba campus is located in an area surrounded by an ecosystem with adequate rain fall and a rich plant diversity leading to the occurrence of organic rich soils. Maseno is found at the geographical coordinates of 0°0′ 17.36″ S, 34°36′ 1.62″ E and an altitude of 1503 meters above sea level. The surrounding terrain is mainly made up of a forest vegetation that is sloppy, a market center in a small town with residential zones and a built up University campus. The general area has a warm tropical temperature with an average ranging between 19°C and 27°C. 

Maseno a small town with a population of 14,000, located in Western Kenya has a poor or no organized liquid and solid waste disposal services provided by either the university or the Kisumu county government was a suitable area for this study because the poorly disposed organic substrates that litter the surrounding environment creating a suitable habitat onto which mushrooms and other saprophytic members of the fungi kingdom are able to grow profusely. 

Mushrooms or gill fungi have been defined as a macro-fungus with a distinctive fruiting body, which can be hypogenous or epigeous, large enough to be seen with the naked eye and to be picked by hand (Chang, 1989).

They are classified in the division Basidiomycota of the fungi kingdom because their fruiting body form an umbrella shaped basidiocarp with gills onto which are found basidia (Alexopoulos et al., 1996). They mostly grow in terrestrial environments. A large majority is saprophytic but there are a few parasitic types known whose hosts range from algae to a wide variety of angiosperms (Alexopoulos et al., 1996). Their plant body consists of multicellular septate hyphae that may be branched and filamentous. Most mushroom species grow in a span of 14-21 days and to maturity (Alexopoulos et al., 1996).

They have a high food value to human beings because they are documented as being rich in proteins, minerals, vitamins while they are low in lipids (Mattila et al., 2001) They also have phytochemicals and other compounds which are strong antioxidants. (Mattila et al., 2001). Phenolic compounds like; alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, sterols, triterpenes, coumarins and cyanogenic glycosides have been detected in wild mushrooms analyzed in Sudan and Nigeria (Adekunle et al. 2005). These compounds seem to mop the free radicals generated in the normal natural metabolism of aerobic cells, mostly in the form of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mushrooms therefore are reported to have medicinal value attributed to a new class of compounds extractable from either the mycelium or fruit body of mushrooms (Adekunle et al. 2005). Consumption of mushrooms embodies both their nutritional and medicinal features as a dietary supplement as enriched food materials which are used for maintenance of healthy diet with potential therapeutic applications (Chang, 1989). Some mushrooms or extracts are used or studied as possible treatments for diseases, such as cardiovascular disorders. Some mushroom materials, including polysaccharides, glycoprotein’s and proteoglycans are under basic research for their potential to modulate immune system responses and inhibit tumor growth, whereas other isolates show potential antiviral, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties in preliminary studies. Currently, several extracts have widespread use in Japan, Korea and China, as adjuncts to radiation treatments and chemotherapy, even though clinical evidence of efficacy in humans has not been confirmed (Chihara, 1993)

There are only a small number of deadly species known; consumption of such species can cause particularly severe complications and unpleasant symptoms to humans (Da Silva, 2005). Amanita genus, most recognizably A. muscaria, and A. pantherina, among others are some of the toxic members of this genus known. The Amanita in toxication is similar to Z-drugs in that it includes Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant and sedative-hypnotic effects, but also dissociation and delirium in high doses ( Apetorgbor et al., 2005). 

Mushrooms are important to humans not only for their food value but also for medicinal, environmental balance and ornamental purposes among others. Knowledge of their occurrence and distribution in Maseno was important, because there was little information on their diversity in Maseno area before this study.

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Source : A rich mushroomdiversity at Maseno University, Siriba campus, Maseno (Kenya) 

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New Range Extension of Pomadasys andamanensis and Siganus fuscescens to Odisha Coast: Morphological and Molecular Evidence I InformativeBD

Bibarani Tripathy, from the institute of India. Surya N. Swain, from the institute of India. and Usha R. Acharya, from the institute of India. wrote a research article about, New Range Extension of Pomadasys andamanensis and Siganus fuscescens to Odisha Coast: Morphological and Molecular Evidence. Entitled, Morphological and molecular evidence for the first records and range extension of two marine fish species Pomadasys andamanensis and Siganus fuscescens to Odisha Coast, Bay of Bengal. This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES). an open access scholarly research journal on Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher. 

 Abstract

Two specimens are from each of Pomadasys andamanensis (Mckay and Satapoomin) and Siganus fuscescens (Houttuyn) were collected from Gopalpur-on-sea, Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal. A study on conventional taxonomy interestingly demonstrates not only the first record of appearance of both the species, but also their inclusion to their respective species on the Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal. It was further, strengthened by molecular analysis through DNA barcoding which showed high confidence sequence similarity in their species identification. Moreover, the congruent clustering of both the species according to their morphological identification, strongly support the species identification through DNA barcoding. Above all, the generated time tree with regards to their origin largely agrees with other recent reports based on mitochondrial loci analysis indicates middle to early Miocene sub-epoch for Pomadasys andamanensis and for Siganus fuscescens it occurred sometimes in the late Pleistocene epoch. The migration of these reef-associated fishes is probably for their specific attraction to reef region of Bay of Bengal or/and ecological disturbances in their native region. The overall outcomes confirmed the first ever extensive range of occurrence of these two marine fish species on the Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal.

Read more : Taxonomic Analysis of Gastropod Snail Occurrence in Agroecosystems | InformativeBD

Introduction

Biological diversity is rapidly inundating worldwide with unprecedented rates mostly due to human activities (Hubert and Hanner, 2015). Determining the extent to which unprecedented globalization and intensification of human-related threats affect biodiversity, either through the loss of species at particular sites or through changes in range size, requires accurate data on the species distribution (Gaston and Blackburn, 2000). Thus, precise taxonomic identification and delimitation of species is highly necessary for conservation and sustainable exploitation of natural resources and also paramount prerequisites to population genetic, physiological and ecological studies (Butlin et al., 2009). On the other hand, it is also important to know whether economic benefit estimates are stable over time, thus accurate identification of species is additionally consequential for their protection (Lew and Wallmo, 2017). 

It is imperative that the ichthyofauna of Bay of Bengal have been well studied for effective conservation and resource management. The Bay of Bengal is the largest marine ecosystem of the world, this pleasant environmental condition, seems to be responsible for introduction of large no of non-native invasive species (NIS). The new alien species are invaded to Bay of Bengal, because of growth, development, reproduction and exploiting the environment for further establishment of their population. Latest record shows that, the existence of invasive species such as Ulua mentalis, Pinjalo pinjalo, Tylosurus crocodilus, Cephalopholis formosa, and Myripristis jacobus to Bay of Bengal at different time period (Barik et al., 2018a, b, c; 2021).

Introduction of several types of marine aquatic noninvasive species may lead to declines or even extinctions of native species; create disturbances in marine ecosystems, increase the transmission of viruses and pathogens, and create significant damage to the flow of the food-chain (Simberloff et al., 2013). Concerns over marine and coastal ecosystems, NIS are being invaded to a new environment because of various human activities such as fisheries, shipping, ornamental and live seafood trades, opening and construction of canals, climate change, habitat modification and aquaculture sites, Marinas may act as hotspots for several aquatic marine biological invasion species and promote further establishment of NIS (Occhipinti-Ambrogi and Savini, 2003; Molnar et al., 2008; Williams et al., 2013). Successful establishment of NIS is due to the species characteristics such as broad range of physiological tolerance, rapid growth, polyphagy, high dispersal ability, high genetic variability, high phenotypic plasticity and human association have been put forward for expanding their range in a new habitat (Chan and Briski, 2017).

Once alien species arrived to a new habitat, these nonnative species must overcome all the physical barrier of geography and survive all the environmental conditions and establish a selfsustaining population (Blackburn et al., 2011). Marine Ecosystem that are tending to susceptible invasion of NIS invading the native habitat, have several criteria of environmental condition such as; few natural enemies, low species diversity, high environmental heterogeneity, a history of habitat disturbances (Levine et al., 2004; Fridley et al., 2007; Melbourne et al., 2007; Herborg et al., 2007; Clark and Johnston, 2011). In addition to that several evolutionary processes such as; genetic drift, adaptation, genetic bottleneck effect, selection and admixture can strongly influence the successful establishment of NIS and helps in proliferation inside a new environment (Sakai et al., 2001; Lee, 2002; Roman and Darling, 2007).

During recent centuries, a no. of nonnative marine fishes are invaded into Bay of Bengal causing community shift in their native habitat. This community shift results alter in species composition, which can indirectly change the structural properties of marine habitat. This change in species composition will provide information about ecological disturbance in both native and nonnative habitat (Scheffer et al., 2001; Scheffer and Carpenter, 2003). In order to find out the amount of change in species composition in a certain habitat, accurate and proper identification of fish species is a prime important work. Earlier studies show that, there are several methods are developed for species identification such as; classical morphotaxonomy, commercial technologies such as immunological assay and cytotaxonomy (Phillips and Ráb, 2001). Frequent change in phenotypic characters, relative costlier process and comparatively lack of expert knowledge are known to be the main drawbacks of earlier studies for species identification. In the recent past, DNA barcoding method has successfully implemented as a robust molecular tool for more accurate species identification (Hebert et al., 2003; Frézal and Leblois, 2008; Leray and Knowlton, 2015). Earlier studies have already proven that mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase-I (COI) is a highly conserved gene used as a barcode marker for most animal species identification (Hebert et al., 2003). The COI-based DNA Barcoding is the most authenticate and versatile method for species identification and have the ability to analyze high rates of sequence changes accompanied with intraspecific divergence at species level (Ivanova et al., 2012; Vences et al., 2012).

Haemulidae is one of the ten diverse, widespread and conspicuous families within the largest sub-order of teleost fishes, the Percoidei (Nelson et al., 2016). They are commonly called grunts, because of their ability to create uproarious sounds by rubbing their pharyngeal teeth together (Burkenroad, 1930). Haemulids have a tendency to congregate during the day and afterward spread out for scavenging around night. The family contains about 145 extant species currently classified in 19 nominal genera (Forese and Pauly, 2017) and grouped into two sub-families i.e. Haemulinae and Plectorhinchinae. The Haemulidae species are morphologically diversified fishes with wondrous and changeable coloration and inhabit the coastal waters in tropical, sub-tropical & temperate inshore reef areas of Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean.

On the other hand, Rabbit fish (Family Siganidae that only include the genus Siganus) are morphologically very uniform group under global fish diversity of coral reefs of order Perciformes (Oh et al., 2007). The members of this family Siganidae are also known as spinefoot, demarcated by different characters like the arrangement of spines (Johnson and Gill, 1998) and exhibits uniform phenotypic characters (i.e. dorsal fins with 13 spines and 10 rays and anal fins with 7 spines and 9 rays). Fishes of the family siganids are the primary consumers of coral reefs and act as an active herbivore, exhibits important component in coral communities. The distribution pattern of family Siganidae is restricted to the Indian Ocean and East Andaman Sea, comprising of 29 nominal species (Froese and Pauly, 2017).

Herein we report recent biological invasion of two marine fishes namely banded grunter Pomadasys andamanensis and mottled spinefoot Siganus fuscescens from Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal, applying the identification of diagnostic morphological and meristic features and subsequently corroborated by DNA barcoding data using single gene marker mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit-I (COI).

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Source : Morphological and molecular evidence for the first records and range extension of two marine fishspecies Pomadasys and amanensis and Siganus fuscescens to Odisha Coast, Bay of Bengal 

 

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Taxonomic Analysis of Gastropod Snail Occurrence in Agroecosystems | InformativeBD

Javaria Altaf, from the institute of Pakistan. Naureen Aziz Qureshi , from the institute of Pakistan and  Muhammed Javed Iqbal Siddiqui, from the institute of Pakistan. wrote a research article about, Taxonomic Analysis of Gastropod Snail Occurrence in Agroecosystems. Entitled, Taxonomic studies on the occurrence of the snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the agroecosystem. This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES). an open access scholarly research journal on Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher. 

Abstract

Gastropods have a very important position in our ecosystem as pest, intermediate host, food source and as bioindicators for environmental quality but the taxonomic work regarding snail species has not been carried out in this part of the world after 19th century. Total 19290 snails were collected from agro ecosystem of Faisalabad for their taxonomic characterization. The identification of the specimens was made on the basis of number of whorls, coiling of the shell, umbilicus, shape, colour, shape of the aperture, presence or absence of operculum, height (mm), diameter (mm) and the diameter of the aperture (mm) using vernier caliper. Microscopic identification was done by using recent identification keys and diagrammatic description provided in them. We found snails belonging to 2 orders 7 families 9 genera and 15 species. This is a baseline study to get the basic information about the malacofaunna of Faisalabad which will be important in various applied fields. However, new sibling species might be proposed of Zooctecus insularis after molecular characterization.

Read more : Burkholderia cepacia: ACase Report from the University Hospital of Befelatanana Laboratory |InformativeBD

Introduction

Land snails are generally considered as typical herbivores, fungivores and detrivores (Burch and Pearce, 1990) that show intraspecific competition at weak levels (Cain, 1983, Barker and May hill, 1999). Annual litter input of about 0.5% per year can be consumed by land snail communities (Mason, 1970). They are designated as serious pests of ripening fruits i.e. tomatoes and strawberries as they are grown near the ground. However, they also depend on foliage and fruit of some trees like citrus (Flint, 2003).

It has an important position in the food webs of different ecosystems as snails are mostly consumed by fish, water fowl, crayfish, leeches and sciomyzid flies (SWCSMH, 2006). Most of the studies on the land snails have been carried out approximately a century before in the Indian subcontinent. Hutton (1842) collected and studied the land snails of neighborhood of Bolan pass, from Suliman range and the hills of south laying west to Indus. According to the Blanford and Godwin (1908), in the areas of Saw at, Dir or Chitral no terrestrial snails have been observed except Petraeus snails, while in the Kuram valley only very few species were found. They worked chiefly on the conchological side of the families Testacellidae and Zonitidae of Indian subcontinent.

Pokryszko et al. (2009) collected 3500 dry shells and described 22 species out of which 12 were new species from 77 localities. The specimens were preserved in alcohol. The shell variations in most species were described and nine species were illustrated with Figs of detailed reproductive system. In the Northern area of Pakistan there is highest diversity of Pupilliods due to wetter climate and wider altitudinal range. Ten out of twenty two species were considered to be endemic to Pakistan, while the distribution of the rest of species was extended to other regions i.e. Asia, Europe and Holarctic.

Pupilloid fauna showed great diversity of Palaearctic/Holarctic influence on general. Recently researches have been conducted on the biodiversity of soil macro inverteberate in the low and high input fields of wheat and sugarcane in District Faisalabad (Rana, 2012; Siddiqui, 2005) with the major focus on impact of chemical on the diversity of different macroinverteberates. Rana (2000) studied the ecological distribution of earthworm species along some water bodies in the agro ecosystem of Faisalabad Division. Khanum (2010) studied the taxonomy of the plant nematodes of sugarcane fields. 

Very less work has been done with reference to the taxonomy and ecology of snails in the agro ecosystem. Previously Ali (2005), Altaf (2006) and Rahman (2011) have attempted to study the diversity of snails in agro ecosystem of Faisalabad which has augmented the previous information of the malacofaunna in Faisalabad. The work of the Ali (2005) and Altaf, (2006) was just about the sugarcane fields and wheat fields near Gutti village area; however Rahman (2011) covered only few villages of Faisalabad focusing only one family of snails. The diversity index was found highly significant in agricultural fields however the results were non-significant in case of ditches. It can be concluded that due to environmental degradation and water pollution the snail diversity is non significant, in ditches however in the agro ecosystem it is a pest (Altaf et al. 2016).

This study is focuses mainly on the taxonomic account of the different species found in the agro ecosystem of Faisalabad, Pakistan.

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Source : Taxonomic studies on the occurrence of the snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the agroecosystem 

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