ON PROTECTIVE DEVICES AMONG AQUATIC INSECTS OF RIVER BHAGIRATHI AND BHILANGANA, TEHRI-GARHWAL

The trophic relation of aquatic insects and their importance in an aquatic ecosystem is well known (Champlain, 1923; Julka, 1969), since many of them serve as fish-food while others as fish predators and fish-food decimators. During the course of bio-ecological studies on the cold water riverine ecosystem of Bhagirathi and Bhilangana of Tehri-Garhwal Himalaya, it was observed that these insects possess certain devices to protect themselves from their enemies. Unfortunatly there is no record on insects of these waters except that of recent work by Mohan et al. (in press). Therefore, observations were conducted on protective devices among aquatic insects of river Bhagirathi, Bhilangana and its tributory Nailchamigad of Tehri-Garhwal Himalaya, during the year 1986-89.