Observations on the occurrence and diversity of zooplankton in the surface water of three tropical ponds at Thiruparankundram near Madurai, Tamilnadu, India

The occurrence and diversity of zooplankton in three freshwater temple ponds at Thiruparankundram near Madurai as observed for a period of three years from September 2009 to August 2012 are reported. A total of 17 zooplankton species were encountered in the three temple ponds and were composed of rotifera (8), cladocera (4), copepoda (4) and ostracoda (1). However, only 11 species such asBrachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus angularis, Brachionus quadridentata, Brachionus diversicornis, Brachionus plicatilis, Alona rectangula rectangula, Moina brachiata, Moina micrura Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides, Mesocyclops aspericornis, and Stenocypris major were observed in all the temple ponds. The variation in the occurrence and diversity of zooplankton was found to be influenced by the seasonal changes and altitudinal variations.