Biodiversity analysis of chironomids (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Jaisamand Lake (Udaipur, Rajasthan)

The objective of this study was to examine biodiversity, taxonomic identification and abundance of chironomid larvae in the benthic and lentic habitat of Jaisamand Lake. This study will give idea about ecology of this area because environmental and topographic factors are strongly correlated with the composition of chironomid communities and would also provide data for comparison with chironomid community present in nearby and other areas, where study on chironomids is already done or will be done. No information is available about diversity and abundance of these organisms in this defined area, so this novel study on chironomids was conducted for the first time in Jaisamand Lake. A total of four genera (viz. Chironomus, Clinotanypuus, Einfeldia and Polypedilum) were identified with dominant genus Polypedilum followed by Einfeldia, Chironomus and Clinotanypus. Genus Clinotanypus under subfamily Tanypodinae was reported for the first time in Rajasthan