Abstract
COMPARATIVE DIVERSITY OF ROTIFERS INHABITING SOME WATERS OF SHIVALIK FOOTHILLS

In an endeavor of enlisting biodiversity of rotifers inhabiting subtropical area an attempt has been made to study some (7 lotic and 6 lentic) waters of Shivalik foothills of J&K state. This area lies southeast of J&K (32o17’ to 32o55’ North latitude and 75o32’ to 76o16’ East longitude). As result of present attempt a total of 21 rotifer species, were enlisted belonging to 10 families (Colurellidae, Lecanidae, Philodinidae, Mytilinidae, Testudinellidae, Brachionidae, Trichocercidae, Notommatidae, Asplanchidae, Filiniidae) of the orders Ploima, Flosculariacea and Bdelloidea. Although existing within the same physico-chemical ranges the diversity variation within lotic and lentic stations was found to be having strong impact of macrophytic vegetation as more diversity was recorded in lentic sources with heavy vegetation than lotic.