Assessment of Herpetofaunal Assemblage in Phakot and Pathri Rao Watershed Areas, Uttarakhand, India

Tanweer A Dar, Jamal A Khan, Bilal Habib, S P S Kushwaha

Abstract


We studied reptiles and amphibians in Phakot and Pathri Rao Watershed Areas falling in middle Himalayas andShiwalik, respectively. Adaptive Cluster Sampling Method was used for forest floor reptile and stream transect forstream reptiles and amphibians. 10 and 12 species of reptiles were recorded in Phakot and Pathri Rao watershedareas, respectively. Similarly 4 species of amphibians were recorded in Phakot and 9 species in Pathri Rao. In total16 species of reptiles were recorded and 9 species of amphibians. Forest floor density of reptiles in Phakot and PathriRao was 46.26 ha-1 and 86.9 ha-1, respectively. Reptilian diversity of Pathri Rao and Phakot was 0.825 and 0.692,respectively. Reptilian richness was higher in Pathri Rao (2.37) compared to Phakot (1.79). Amphibian density,diversity and richness were 15.6 ha-1, 0.47 and 0.77 in Phakot respectively. Amphibian density in Pathri Rao was22.6 ha-1. The diversity and richness values were 0.57 and 1.29, respectively. Comparison showed Pathri RaoWatershed to be more rich and diverse than Phakot because of undisturbed habitat, broad and slow stream andmore forest litter.

Keywords


Reptiles, Amphibians, Watershed, Diversity, Richness

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