Endemic Fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Bay of Bengal
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Endemic Fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Bay of Bengal

Endemic Fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Bay of Bengal Endemic Fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Bay of Bengal

zsi.gov.in
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species are exclusively distributed in Andamn Islands, 4 species in Nicobar Islands and 9 species are common to both the island groups. Of the 13 species of freshwater molluscs 11 species are occurring in Andaman group and 2 species common to both the island groups. Of the recorded 87 species of endemic land molluscs, 41 species distributed in Andaman group, 38 species restricted to Nicobar group while 8 species common to both the islands. The distribution of endemic species of remaining marine groups like meiofaunal components, crustaceans, insects etc. are found largely rectricted to Andaman group of islands. The reasons for such distribution of faunal elements can not be drawn unless through studis are made on the faunal groups of Nicobar Islands. Due to difficulty in accessibility of Nicobar group of islands most of the workers restricted their studies to Andaman group of islands only. Intensive studies on lower groups certainly add several hundreds of faunal elements with new distributional records and new to science to the existing fauna of the islands. SUMMARY The Andaman and Nicobar Islands located in the mid-sea of Bay of Bengal comprises over 350 islands inaddition to large number of rocks and rock outcrops with a total land area of 8,293 sq km covering 1,962 km of serpentine coastline. The islands are close to the nearest landmass to the North Andamans is Cape Negaris of Myanmar coast, about 300 km away and the Nicobars 100 km away from Achin Head of Western Sumatra. The islands covered with 90% of various types of luxuriant forests virtually become the hotspots for speciation due to long period of isolation from main land mases resultd in several hundreds of endemic faunal elements at species and subspecies level. The islands are supporting over 8,386 species of animals comprising both terrestrial and marine waters. Of which, 1117 species are enedmic to the A and N islands. For major vertebrate groups common name, diagnostic features, habitat, distribution and status of each species is given. But for lower groups only habitat, distribution and status are given. The population status and their bilogy of all the endemic species are not known. About 872 species of terrestrial fauna are endemic which include protozoa, molluscs, annelids, arthropods (insects), arachnids, myriapods, freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals while 245 species of marine fauna are endemic include sponges, cnidarians, picnogonids, molluscs, crustaceans, fishes and meiofauna. The terrestrial fauna is dominant with insects having 604 endemics followed by land molluscs 100, birds 90, reptiles 32; mammals 19 and arachnids 10 species. Compared to terrestrial fauna the marine fauna is the largest component but the endemics are less in 284

number. The molluscs have the highest number of endemics followed by meiofauna, sponges, crustacea and anthozoans ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are thankful to Dr. K. Venkataraman, Director, and Dr.Ramakrishna, Ex- Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata for providing facilities and encouragement to carry out this task. REFERENCES Abdulali, H. 1964. The birds of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 61(3) : 483-496. Agarawal, V.C. 1998.Faunal diversity in India : Mammalia. In “Faunal Diversity in India” (Eds. J.R.B. Alfred etal.) ENVIS Centre, ZSI, Calcutta. Pp.459-469. Alfred, J.R.B, Sinha, N.K. and Chakraborty, S. 2002. Checklist of Mammals of India, Rec. zool. Surv. India, Occ. Paper No. 199 : 1-289 (Publ : Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata) Alfred, J.R.B. and Charaborty, S. 2002. Endemic Mammals of India, Rec. zool. Surv. India, Occ. Paper No. 201 : 1-37 (Publ : Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata). Ali, S. and Ripley, S.D. 1969-78. Hand Book of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Vols. 1-3, Oxford University Press, Bombay. Annandale, N. 1905. Additions to the collections of Oriental snakes in the Indian Museum, II. Specimens from the Andamans and Nicobars, J. Asiat Soc., Bengal, 73 : 173-176. Biswas, S. and D.P. Sanyal, 1980. A report on the Reptilia fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the collection of Zoological Survey of India, Rec. zool. Surv. India, 77 : 255-292. Biswas, S. and Sanyal, D.P. 1977. Notes on the reptilian collecton from the Great Nicobar Island during the Great Nicobar Expedition in 1966. Rec. zool. Suv. India., 72 : 107- 124. 285

number. The molluscs have the highest number <strong>of</strong> endemics followed by mei<strong>of</strong>auna,<br />

sponges, crustacea <strong>and</strong> anthozoans<br />

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS<br />

The authors are thankful to Dr. K. Venkataraman, Director, <strong>and</strong> Dr.Ramakrishna, Ex-<br />

Director, Zoological Survey <strong>of</strong> India, Kolkata for providing facilities <strong>and</strong> encouragement to<br />

carry out this task.<br />

REFERENCES<br />

Abdulali, H. 1964. The birds <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Andaman</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Nicobar</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong>s. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.,<br />

61(3) : 483-496.<br />

Agarawal, V.C. 1998.<strong>Fauna</strong>l diversity in India : Mammalia. In “<strong>Fauna</strong>l Diversity in India” (Eds.<br />

J.R.B. Alfred etal.) ENVIS Centre, ZSI, Calcutta. Pp.459-469.<br />

Alfred, J.R.B, Sinha, N.K. <strong>and</strong> Chakraborty, S. 2002. Checklist <strong>of</strong> Mammals <strong>of</strong> India, Rec. zool.<br />

Surv. India, Occ. Paper No. 199 : 1-289 (Publ : Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata)<br />

Alfred, J.R.B. <strong>and</strong> Charaborty, S. 2002. <strong>Endemic</strong> Mammals <strong>of</strong> India, Rec. zool. Surv. India, Occ.<br />

Paper No. 201 : 1-37 (Publ : Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata).<br />

Ali, S. <strong>and</strong> Ripley, S.D. 1969-78. H<strong>and</strong> Book <strong>of</strong> the Birds <strong>of</strong> India <strong>and</strong> Pakistan. Vols. 1-3,<br />

Oxford University Press, Bombay.<br />

Ann<strong>and</strong>ale, N. 1905. Additions to the collections <strong>of</strong> Oriental snakes in the Indian Museum, II.<br />

Specimens from the <strong>Andaman</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>Nicobar</strong>s, J. Asiat Soc., <strong>Bengal</strong>, 73 : 173-176.<br />

Biswas, S. <strong>and</strong> D.P. Sanyal, 1980. A report on the Reptilia fauna <strong>of</strong> <strong>Andaman</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Nicobar</strong><br />

Isl<strong>and</strong>s in the collection <strong>of</strong> Zoological Survey <strong>of</strong> India, Rec. zool. Surv. India, 77 :<br />

255-292.<br />

Biswas, S. <strong>and</strong> Sanyal, D.P. 1977. Notes on the reptilian collecton from the Great <strong>Nicobar</strong><br />

Isl<strong>and</strong> during the Great <strong>Nicobar</strong> Expedition in 1966. Rec. zool. Suv. India., 72 : 107-<br />

124.<br />

285

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