Distribution and abundance of rotifers in relation to water quality of some tropical reservoirs

Survey of rotifer fauna was conducted in twenty reservoirs of major river systems in peninsular India during 1995-96. Four species of Brachionus, two species of Keratella, three species of Trichocerca and one species each of Filinia, Pompolyx, Diplois, Polyarthra, Lecane and Concochilus were recorded during the investigation. The rotifer population was found maximum in Nugu Reservoir in Karnataka and lowest in Lower Mannair Dam in Andhra Pradesh. Musi Reservoir in Andhra Pradesh exhibited higher values of conductivity followed by VV Sagar and Wyra . The population density of rotifer was correlated with various chemical parameters, while only silicate was found to be significant at 5 %. The reservoir could be categorized into different saprobic conditions based on the distribution of various rotifers and the Brachious-Trichocerca quotient.