Andaman booklet aw.FH10 - Zoological Survey of India
Andaman booklet aw.FH10 - Zoological Survey of India Andaman booklet aw.FH10 - Zoological Survey of India
Fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Andaman and Nicobar Islands are considered as Paradise of Biological Diversity. About 8425 species of fauna, 8464 species are endemic and more than sixty percent of biodiversity have been reported from marine habitat. The details of the fauna reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands are presented in Table 4. Table 4. Faunal diversity of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Sl. Faunal World India A & N Endemic % of No. group Islands Endemic 1. Sponges5100 519 112 5 7.14 2. Helminthes 400 19 19 - - (Flatworm marine) - 3. Corals700 600 600 - - 4. Earthworms4000 585 21 7 33.33 5. Leeches500 59 10 - - 6. Polychaetes8000 428 186 - - 7. Arachnids120 21 14 - - 8. Gastrotricha 2500 88 32 6 18.75 9. Chinorincha 100 10 4 2 50.00 10. Crustaceans 24375 2970 607 56 9.22 11. Spiders & Scorpions 35810 1352 113 28 45.16 12. Centipede 3000 100 17 - - 13. Millipedes7500 162 5 - - 14. Insects 867391 59353 2274 485 21.5 15. Mollusks Land 15000 950 110 75 68.18 Freshwater 8765 284 51 12 23.52 Marine 56235 32751 1422 2 0.2 Opisthobranchia 6500 180 180 16. Siphonculates202 38 25 - - 17. Echninoderms6226 765 430 2 0.59 18. Fishes 21723 2546 1484 2 0.14 19. Amphibians550 219 23 3 16.66 20. Reptiles5817 456 104 23 25.55 21. Aves9026 1232 284 105 36.97 22. Mammals4629 390 62 33 55.00 11,04,169 1,06,115 8,425 846 12
The main terrestrial mammals are Long-tailed macaque, Wild boar, Civets, and several species of Bats, Rats and Shrews. From the faunistic point of view, the most interesting feature is the absence of large mammals and the presence of a considerable number of endemics among the inland vertebrates (Ellis et al., 2000). The Andaman Horseshoe bat Rhinolophus cognatus and Car Nicobar flying fox Pteropus faunulus, Rats such as Rattus burrulus, Rattus palmarum, and Rattus pulliventer and shrews such as the Andaman Spiny Shrew Crocidura hispida and Nicobar Tree Shrew Tupaia nicobarica are among the endemic mammalian species. Endemic subspecies include two subspecies of the wild boar: the Andaman Wild Pig Sus scrofa andamanensis and the Nicobar Wild Pig Sus scrofa nicobarensis. The only other species of large land mammals, Spotted Deer Axis axis and a population of Elephants Elephas maximus, were introduced into the region. The spotted deer have proliferated and are now widespread. The elephants, abandoned after the discontinuation of logging operations, have now become feral. The reptiles include a number of species of snakes. Geckos and lizards are also found along with several threatened species like the Andaman water monitor Varanus salvator andamanensis, the Saltwater crocodile Crocodylus porosus and four species of marine turtles, viz. the endangered Olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea and green turtle Chelonia mydas, and the critically endangered Hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and Leatherback Dermochelys coriacea (Bhaskar 1993, Andrews 2000 and 2001, Andrews et al., 2001). All of these species breed in the islands. One of the most data deficient groups on the islands are the Amphibians, though some work on them has been done in the Andamans and on Great Nicobar Island (Daniels 1997; Das 1994, 1997 and 1999). Over 1400 species of fish have been identified on the Islands. Of these, the deep-sea fish are a commercially valuable resource for the fishery industry. A special mention must be made of the vast 13
- Page 1: Fauna of Protected Areas of Andaman
- Page 4 and 5: CITATION Sivaperuman, C. and Raghun
- Page 6 and 7: Saddle Peak in North Andaman and 64
- Page 8 and 9: identifiable groups. Of these, only
- Page 10 and 11: million) km2 (Saldanha, 1989). The
- Page 12 and 13: Dermochelys coriacea, Reticulated P
- Page 14 and 15: 36. Jungle Island Wildlife Sanctuar
- Page 18 and 19: diversity of reef fish. These brigh
- Page 20 and 21: Some important animals in the prote
- Page 22 and 23: Dugong Dugong dugon: The Dugong dug
- Page 24 and 25: Andaman Wood Pigeon Columba palumbo
- Page 26 and 27: Nicobar Scops-Owl Otus alius: The N
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Fauna <strong>of</strong> <strong>Andaman</strong> and Nicobar Islands<br />
<strong>Andaman</strong> and Nicobar Islands are considered as Paradise <strong>of</strong> Biological<br />
Diversity. About 8425 species <strong>of</strong> fauna, 8464 species are endemic<br />
and more than sixty percent <strong>of</strong> biodiversity have been reported<br />
from marine habitat. The details <strong>of</strong> the fauna reported from <strong>Andaman</strong><br />
and Nicobar Islands are presented in Table 4.<br />
Table 4. Faunal diversity <strong>of</strong> <strong>Andaman</strong> and Nicobar Islands<br />
Sl. Faunal World <strong>India</strong> A & N Endemic % <strong>of</strong><br />
No. group Islands Endemic<br />
1. Sponges5100 519 112 5 7.14<br />
2. Helminthes 400 19 19 - -<br />
(Flatworm<br />
marine)<br />
-<br />
3. Corals700 600 600 - -<br />
4. Earthworms4000 585 21 7 33.33<br />
5. Leeches500 59 10 - -<br />
6. Polychaetes8000 428 186 - -<br />
7. Arachnids120 21 14 - -<br />
8. Gastrotricha 2500 88 32 6 18.75<br />
9. Chinorincha 100 10 4 2 50.00<br />
10. Crustaceans 24375 2970 607 56 9.22<br />
11. Spiders & Scorpions 35810 1352 113 28 45.16<br />
12. Centipede 3000 100 17 - -<br />
13. Millipedes7500 162 5 - -<br />
14. Insects 867391 59353 2274 485 21.5<br />
15. Mollusks<br />
Land 15000 950 110 75 68.18<br />
Freshwater 8765 284 51 12 23.52<br />
Marine 56235 32751 1422 2 0.2<br />
Opisthobranchia 6500 180 180<br />
16. Siphonculates202 38 25 - -<br />
17. Echninoderms6226 765 430 2 0.59<br />
18. Fishes 21723 2546 1484 2 0.14<br />
19. Amphibians550 219 23 3 16.66<br />
20. Reptiles5817 456 104 23 25.55<br />
21. Aves9026 1232 284 105 36.97<br />
22. Mammals4629 390 62 33 55.00<br />
11,04,169 1,06,115 8,425 846<br />
12
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