Odonata of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India - Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation - page 148

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Odonata of Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, India

C. Sivaperuman

Abstract
This study was conducted in Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 2008
through 2013 to assess the status and distribution of odonate fauna. The
Andaman and Nicobar archipelago consist of 572 islands, extending over
800 km. These islands can be broadly divided into two groups, namely, the
Andamans and the Nicobars. The following areas were covered during the
study period, namely, Great Nicobar Island, Ritchie's archipelago and
North Andaman. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands support unique
assemblages of dragonfl ies and damselfl ies comprising many species.
Further studies are required to better understand the population ecology,
habitat destruction and other anthropogenic disturbances to conserve the
unique population.

Keywords
Checklist ￿ Conservation ￿ Damselfl ies ￿ Dragonfl ies ￿ Diversity

Introduction

The existing groups of islands constitute the
physiographic continuation of the mountainous
ranges of Naga and Lushai Hills and Arakan Yoma
of Burma through Cape Negrais to the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands and southeast of Sumatra.
The chains of these islands are in fact the camel
backs of the submerged mountain ranges pro-
jecting above the sea level running north to
south between 6° 45

The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago consist
of 572 islands, extending over 800 km. These
islands were once a part of the Asian mainland
but got detached some 100 Ma ago during the
Upper Mesozoic period due to geological upheaval.

′ and 13° 30 ′ N latitudes and

90° 20 ′ and 93° 56 ′ E longitudes with an extent of

8,249 km 2 .
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands can be
broadly divided into two groups, namely, the
Andamans and the Nicobars. These two groups