TUESDAY, JULY 02, 2024
Dolcy D’Cruz
Did you know that dragonflies hunt other flying insects and are excellent predators? Dragonflies can move and rotate each of their four wings independently which aids them in flying backwards, up and down. These agile and small insects look beautiful with their bright hues but how much does one know about them? To give a better understanding about dragonflies and damselflies, collectively called Odonates, renowned ecologist Parag Rangnekar will educate participants about the fascinating world of dragonflies and damselflies during a wetland stroll along Carambolim Lake today, January 19, at Carambolim Lake from 9 am - 11 am.
Parag has been studying Odonates since 2008, initially only photographing and identifying and later getting into taxonomic work that included collection, preservation and studying under the microscope. “As per published literature, Goa has 93 species. My studies point out that we have 108 species, which according to me is an underestimate. I think Goa should have around 120 species. But more systematic surveys all season are needed to document them. Presently, we are in the process of standardising and updating the list of odonates for Goa through a peer reviewed scientific paper,” explains Parag about the number of species
in Goa.
According to Parag, there is still a long way to go for research on odonates in Goa, “The British did an excellent job of documenting the odonate diversity of the country. Unfortunately, Goa being under the Portuguese was not covered and the Portuguese possibly were not interested. There has been some good work done on odonates in the rest part of the country, especially Kerala. But Goa is still far behind and needs more people interested in this group.”
Odonates are water dependent insects since they lay eggs in water and half of their life is spent under water. So one will find them wherever there is water. Since they are so dependent on water, the quality of the water defines the kind of species that will breed in it. Hence, odonates are excellent indicator species of water and wetland health.
Parag is also the author of the book, ‘A Photographic Guide to the Butterflies of Goa’ and recently launched Goa’s first ‘The Wildlife Map of Goa’. However, when it comes to odonates, he feels it is not getting the attention they deserve. “Firstly, not many people are interested in the group since they are not as charismatic as birds, mammals or reptiles for example. Secondly, not many researchers or research students are keen to tackle this group for studies due to difficulty in identification and lack of subject matter experts within educational institutions. Thirdly, we need to go beyond just species identification and look at their ecology, breeding biology, populations etc. since they are indicator species for our wetlands. Their presence or absence itself can tell us so much about wetland health. I think it is time we start looking at this group not just from the diversity point of view but as indicators of wetland health.”
Two new dragonflies species — Idionyx Gomantakakensis and Cyclogomphus Flavoanmulatus are endemic to the Western Ghats. “Both are new species to science described from the State of Goa. The former was originally seen in 2008 and published in 2013 while the later was seen in 2013 and published in 2018. Both were found on the outskirts of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, thus highlighting the ecological importance of the sanctuary. That we could find two new species within a small state also brings to fore the importance of systematic surveys and documentation. Both the species later have been found in other States but within the State they are known only from the original locations,” says Parag, as he sheds light on these two species.
Odonates are predators, both as flying adults and aquatic nymphs. Other insects form a major part of their diet and hence they keep a control on insect populations wherever they exist. Paddy fields benefit the most from dragonflies because rice fields also act as a habitat for them. Some species like the Granite Ghost are known to exclusively feed on mosquitoes, a vector of many deadly diseases. They definitely are beneficial insects for humans and agriculture.
How can human beings conserve the population of odonates? “We need to document what we have. Without knowing what we have, we cannot conserve. We share our wetlands with odonates and hence protecting wetlands and wetland health will be the best that we can do to conserve them. For that matter, wetlands are crucial from human wellbeing point of view in terms of livelihoods, climate regulation and ecosystem services. So let us be selfish like we always are and protect wetlands for our own needs and thereby indirectly conserve odonates,” says Parag.
To conclude, he tells about what to expect at the Dragonfly & Damselfly Walk at Carambolim Lake, “The walk is an introduction to the wonderful world of odonates and quick peek into their lives. We will walk along the Carambolim lake and observe a few dragonflies that we see, learn how to differentiate between dragonflies and damselflies, what are the key features in identification, the role that they play in ecosystems. The objective is to trigger interest in the participants towards this amazing insects.”
