Biodiversity Assessment of Balapur Pond of District Prayagraj (U.P.) with Special Reference to Vertebrates and Angiosperms ASHOK KUMAR VERMA Department of Zoology, Government Post Graduate College, Saidabad Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. Abstract The present study was undertaken to record the diversity of Balapur pond of the Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh with special reference to vertebrates and angiosperms. The Balapur pond was surveyed in detail once in a month for a period of one year from January 2018 to December 2018. The survey reflects a rich and flourishing biodiversity of the pond studied including 40 chordate species and 38 species of angiosperms. The notable chordate diversity includes 12 species of fishes, 2 species of amphibians, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of birds and 8 species of mammals. Besides, several species of annelids, crabs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, ants, termites, lobsters, snails, other gastropods, planktons, algae, bryophytes and pteridophytes have also been observed. Current World Environment www.cwejournal.org ISSN: 0973-4929, Vol. 15, No. (2) 2020, Pg. 364-370 CONTACT Ashok Kumar Verma akv.gdcz@gmail.com Department of Zoology, Government Post Graduate College, Saidabad Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Enviro Research Publishers. This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY). Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.15.2.24 Article History Received: 6 April 2020 Accepted: 9 August 2020 Keywords Angiosperms; Fishes; Amphibians; Reptiles; Birds; Mammals; Conservation; Balapur Pond; Wetland. Introduction A vertebrate has notochord during its embryonic development which is replaced by a cartilaginous or bony vertebral column or backbone in adults. The subphylum Vertebrata comprises seven classes of living animals namely Cyclostomata, Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. First four are popularly known as Anamniota and last three as Amniota (Verma and Praksh, 2020a). The angiosperms are well developed and highly evolved group of plants in which there is seeds enclosed within the fruit. They have well differentiated root, stem and leaves and also have well developed vascular tissue. India is a developing and agriculture dominating country. Most of its population depends upon agriculture. In India, a large number of ponds, lakes and reservoirs occur naturally but most of them are not being utilized properly due to their improper and insufficient hydrobiological studies. A proper and systematic hydrobiological study is very important 365VERMA, Curr. World Environ., Vol. 15(2) 364-370 (2020) to understand the metabolic activities in the aquatic ecosystem especially pond. The pond contains standing water that provides habitat for wetland biota i.e. plants and animals. Wetlands constitute one of the most productive ecosystems and play a significant role in the regional ecological sustainability. They have been an essential part of human civilization meeting many crucial needs for life such as drinking water, food, fodder, energy supply, flood storage, transport, recreation, biodiversity, and climate stabilization. The cross cultural, economic and ecological values of wetlands provide a fine blend of past, present and future of human descend, existence, and future perspectives of sustainability. Prakash et al., (2015), Prakash and Verma (2015, 2016), Verma and Prakash (2016) performed the limnological and ichthyological studies of Alwara Lake of Kaushambi (U.P.). Verma (2016, 2017, 2019a, 2019b, 2020a), Verma and Prakash (2017, 2020b), Sugumaran et al., (2020) and Bhagde et al., (2020) studied the limnological parameters as well as distribution and conservation status of fishes in the various lentic fresh water bodies of Uttar Pradesh. The present exploration was undertaken to assess the biodiversity of Balapur pond of the Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh with special reference to vertebrates and angiosperms. This study was conducted during a period of one year from January 2018 to December 2018. The pond studied has rich and flourished biodiversity. Materials and Methods The pond studied is natural and perennial, located on south side of the village Balapur. It is located in Koraon block and tahsil of Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh (image 1). The pond studied is situated at a distance of approximately 62 kilometers from Prayagraj district HQ. Balapur is a small village of about 800 population size, surrounded by Janakpur in east, Paitiha in south west, Banshipur in north east and Murlipur in south. Generally summer begins in the month of March and continues till mid July. In and around this Balapur village, monsoon begins mostly in last July and more or less continues till mid September. Winter season normally starts in mid November and continues till mid February. Minimum temperature was recorded as 14.2 in January and maximum in July as 35.50C. This pond (photo 1) is extended in more than two hectares, not only used for irrigation, fish culture but also used as a source of drinking water for animals. Image 1. Location of study area in Prayagraj district. Balapur pond was surveyed and studied in detail to record the vertebrates and angiosperms diversity once for a month along the period of one year from January 2018 to December 2018. The fishes and amphibians were caught and collected for the present survey by hand-nets, gill nets, cast nets, hooks, drag nets with the help of local people and animal catchers. The survey was conducted during 366VERMA, Curr. World Environ., Vol. 15(2) 364-370 (2020) daytime from 7 am to 7 pm and all caught animals were released in to the pond after identification. Author did not need to collect the reptiles, birds and mammals as they were easily recognisable even from a long distance. People of local communities of adjoining areas also helped the author in several ways including hospitality; collection and identification of vertebrates and angiosperms. A standard survey method of Burbridge (1994) was followed for field work. Fishes were identified by using the standard keys of Mishra (1959), Day (1989), Jhingran (1991), Jayaram (1999) and Srivastava (1998). Dutta (1997) and Dinesh et al., (2019) helped to identify amphibians while reptiles with the help of Aengals et al., (2012). Birds were identified with the help of Ali (1988) while angiosperms were identified with the help of Sambamurty (2010). Photograph 1: A view of Balapur pond in Prayagraj district Results and Discussion The author recorded (a) 40 species of vertebrates: 12 species of fishes (Verma 2019b), 2 species of amphibians, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of birds, 8 species of mammals and (b) 38 species of angiosperms from Balapur pond (table 1). Table1: List of Vertebrates and Angiosperms Recorded from Balapur Pond in the year 2018. FISHES S.No. Biological name Common name Family 1. Catla catla Bhakur Cyprinidae 2. Labeo rohita Rohita Cyprinidae 3. Labeo calbasu Karaunchh Cyprinidae 4. Cyprinus carpio Common carp Cyprinidae 5. Cirrhinus mrigala Naini Cyprinidae 6. Mystus seenghala Tengara Bagridae 7. Rita rita Rita Bagridae 8. Wallago attu Pardni Siluridae 9. Clarias batrachus Mangur Clariidae 10. Heteropneustes fossilis Singhi Saccobranchidae 367VERMA, Curr. World Environ., Vol. 15(2) 364-370 (2020) 11. Channa punctatus Saura Ophiocephalidae 12. Gudusia chapra Suhia Clupeidae AMPHIBIANS 13. Hoplobatrachus tigerinus Indian bullfrog Dicroglossidae 14. Duttaphrynus melanostictus Common Indian toad Bufonidae REPTILES 15. Calotes versicolor Garden lizard Agamidae 16. Uromastix hardwickii Spiny tailed lizard Agamidae 17. Hemidactylus flaviviridis House gecko Gekkonide 18. Naja naja Indian Cobra Elapidae 19. Bungarus caeruleus Krait Elapidae 20. Eryx johnii Red Sand Boa Boidae 21. Varanus bengalensis Indian Monitor lizard Varanidae BIRDS 22. Pavo cristatus Peacock Phasianidae 23. Eudynamis scolopaceus Koel Cuculidae 24. Acriodotheres tristis Common myna Sturnidae 25. Passer domesticus House Sparrow Passeridae 26. Corvus splendens House Crow Corvidae 27. Pycnonotus cafer Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonidae 28. Psittacula eupatria Parrot Psittaculidae 29. Columba livia Common Rock Pigeon Columbidae 30. Bubo bubo Owl Strigidae 31. Gyps indicus Indian Vulture Accipitridae 32. Egretta garzetta Indian Egret Ardeidae MAMMALS 33. Oryctolagus cuniculus Rabbit Leporidae 34. Sorex araneus Shrew Soricidae 35. Rattus rattus Rat Muridae 36. Mus musculus House mouse Muridae 37. Funambulus palmarum Squirrel Sciuridae 38. Sus scrofa Pig Suidae 39. Boselaphus tragocamelus Nilgai Bovidae 40. Lutrogale perspicillata Smooth-coated Otter Mustelidae ANGIOSPERMS 41. Eichhornia crassipes Common water hyacinth Pontederiaceae 42. Monochoria vaginalis Pickerel weed Pontederiaceae 43. Hygroryza aristata Asian water grass Poaceae 44. Vetiveria zizanioides Vetiver Poaceae 45. Apluda mutica Mauritian grass Poaceae 46. Pistia stratiotes Water cabbage Araceae 47. Spirodela polyrhiza Common duckweed Araceae 48. Wolffia arrhiza Rootless duckweed Araceae 49. Lemna perpusilla Minute duckweed Araceae 50. Ludwigia adscendens Water primrose Onagraceae 51. Nelumbo nucifera Indian lotus Nelumbonaceae 52. Nymphea stillata Water lily Nympheaceae 53. Hydrilla verticillata Water thyme Hydrocharitaceae 54. Najas graminea Ricefield water-nymph Najadaceae 55. Potamogeton crassipes Clasping leaf pondweed Potamogetonaceae 368VERMA, Curr. World Environ., Vol. 15(2) 364-370 (2020) 56. Vallisnaria spiralis Eel grass or tape grass Hydrocharitaceae 57. Ceratophyllum demersum Hornwort or coontail Ceratophyllaceae 58. Alternanthera sessilis Sessile joy weed Amaranthaceae 59. Glinus lotoides Lotus sweetjuice Molluginaceae 60. Boerhavia diffusa Red spiderling Nyctaginaceae 61. Canscora decurrens Bhui neem or kilwar Gentianaceae 62. Centella asiatica Indian pennywort Apiaceae 63. Eleocharis dulcis Chinese water chestnut Cyperaceae 64. Cyperus spp. Nutgrass Cyperaceae 65. Fimbristylis littoralis Lesser fimbristylis Cyperaceae 66. Ipomoea aquatica Swamp Morning Glory Convolvulaceae 67. Evolvulus assenoides Slender dwarf morning glory Convolvulaceae 68. Peristrophe bicalyculata Kali Anghedi Acanthaceae 69. Hygrophila auriculata Kokilaksha Acanthaceae 70. Juncus bufonius Toad rush Juncaceae 71. Limnophila indica Indian Marshweed Plantaginaceae 72. Nymphoides cristata Water snowflake Menyanthaceae 73. Heliotropium spp. Indian heliotrope Boraginaceae 74. Polygonum spp. Drooping knotweed Polygonaceae 75. Sonchus arvensis Perennial sowthistle Asteraceae 76. Tephrosia pumila Indigo sauvage Fabaceae 77. Trianthema portulacastrum Horse Purslane Aizoaceae 78. Typha angustifolia Lesser bulrush Typhaceae All the 12 species of fishes recorded are edible. People of the Balapur and adjoining areas hunt some birds and rabbit for flesh. Indian cobra and krait are poisonous reptiles. Most of the species of birds and few species of mammals are hunted for food. On the basis of rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution and degree of population, distribution fragmentation etc., most of the above species has already been evaluated by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. Most of the species recorded during exploration belong to least concern (LC) to critically endangered (CR) categories (Verma 2020b, 2020c). Out of the 38 species of angiosperms recorded; 22 species are rooted amphibians, 7 free floating, 4 rooted floated, 4 rooted submerged and 1 suspended hydrophytes. Besides, pteridophytes, bryophytes, algae, several species of annelids, crabs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, ants, termites, lobsters, snails, other gastropods and a number of diatoms and planktons have also been observed in and around the pond. Conclusion The author thus, recorded a total of 40 species of chordates including 12 species of fishes, 2 species of amphibians, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of birds, 8 species of mammals and 38 species of angiosperms in and around the Balapur pond. Moreover, a number of species of annelids, crabs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, ants, termites, lobsters, snails, other gastropods and pteridophytes, bryophytes, algae, planktons, diatoms have also been observed. Considering the importance of rich biodiversity and highly productive ecosystem, the author suggests and strongly recommends for a complete study of the said pond both for diversity of plants and animals on large scale so as to offer a natural abode to the animals, a beautiful habitat to the plants and ecological gift to the environment. Acknowledgement Author is highly grateful to the Prof. Ashish Joshi, Principal, Government P.G. College, SaidabadPrayagraj for providing necessary laboratory facilities. Author is thankful to friends Dr Shri Prakash eminent Zoologist, Dr H.P. Pandey eminent Botanist, Dr A. N. Shukla Scientist, Botanical Survey of India and youngster Mr Prabhakar Singh, local people and Gram Pradhan for their co-operation during entire study. 369VERMA, Curr. World Environ., Vol. 15(2) 364-370 (2020) Funding The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. References Conflict of Interest The authors do not have any conflict of interest. 1. Aengals, R., Kumar, V. M. S. and Palot, M. J. (2012). Updated Checklist of Indian Reptiles. 2. Ali, S. (1988). The Book of Indian Birds. Oxford University Press, India. 3. Bhagde, R. V., Pingle, S. A., Bhoye, M. R., Pansambal, S. S. and Deshmukh, D. R. (2020). A Comparative Study of PhysicoChemical Parameters of the Freshwater Ponds from Sangamner Taluka of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India. International Journal of Biological Innovations. 2(2): 137-142. 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