Enlisting of Some Molluscan Species from Pujaritola Dam of Gondia Maharashtra, India.

Freshwater molluscs are of the important components of aquatic ecosystem which help in maintaining the balance and cleanliness of aquatic environments. Some gastropods serve as intermediate host to transfer helminthic infections. This survey was carried out to study diversity of freshwater malacofauna of Gondia region from Maharshtra India. Survey was done by visual searching across the banks of Pujaritola dam. Molluscan shells were collected by hand picking method. Species identification was carried out using standard references. Total 12 species of molluscs have been reported in this paper, 9 of these are gastropods and 3 are bivalves. These species belong to 3 orders, 7 families and 7 genera. Gastropod species recorded were Pila theobaldi, Pila pesmei, Gabbia orcula producta, Thiara scabra, Lymnaea acuminata form gracilior, Lymnaea acuminata form patula, Lymnaea biacuminata, Gyraulus convexiusculus, and Gyraulus rotula. Bivalves found at site were Corbicula striatella, Corbicula peninsularis and Sphaerium indicum. Lymnaea biacuminata was rarest species at this site followed by Pila theobaldi, Pila pesmei, Lymnaea acuminata form gracilior. This study will contribute to carry out further investigations on the freshwater malacofauna’s occurrence in this area as well as its analysis of distribution and richness. Three new species that had not before been documented in Maharashtra have been found during this survey. Understanding the region’s molluscan species—both edible and harmful—will be aided by this inventory. This work will form the basis of further research in this area. There is further scope of research in implications in other field such as, food, disease transmissions and medicine.