DENSITY AND DIVERSITY OF AQUATIC MITES IN A GLACIER-FED RIVER MANDAKANI FROM GARHWAL CENTRAL HIMALAYA, INDIA

The Hydrachnidia (Aquatic mites, Hydracarina) are the taxonomically most diversified group of the acari in freshwaters and are abundant species in lotic habitats that are often neglected. The present study was carried out during the period of October, 2018 - September, 2019 to assess the density and diversity of aquatic mites in a glacier-fed river Mandakani. Various indices were used to analyze the data. A total of 23 species of aquatic mites were recorded throughout the study period. Aquatic mites showed maximum (199 individuals/m2) density and diversity in the month of December and minimum (03 individuals/m2) density and diversity in the month of July. Number of different diversity and richness indices is applied to recorded data. Family Torrenticolidae were found to be most diverse consisting of ten different species whereas family Aturidae was found to be least diverse with only two reporting species. Sperchon indicus, Sperchon garhwalensis, Monatractides oxystomus, Atractides indicus, Kongsbergia rucira and Torrenticola turkestanica were observed to be the dominant aquatic mite species in the Mandakani River during present study.