Studies on Environmental Ecology and Taxononmic Survey of Anas Platyrhynchos Family: Anatidae in and Around the Manchar Lake Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Purpose: Present study has been conducted on the Taxonomic survey and Environmental ecology of mallard "˜Anas platyrhynchos' and its sub-species at manchar Lake Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan.

Materials and Methods: A total number of 150 specimens were collected from different zones of manchar lake jamshoro Sindh. Out of which 93 specimens were identified as male (62%) and 57 were identified as female (38%). Maximum no: of ducks were collected from crops, ponds and homes of local Mohanas. Species richness was highest in the month of January followed by February and March and least in June July. Specimens were collected from different dimensions of Manchar Lake. At first, samples were collected alive from different areas from January 2022 to march 2023. Specimens were identified using authentic taxonomic keys and available literature.

Findings: It was observed that most of the female ducks of other species were living and breeding with the males of Anas platyrhynchos "˜The mallard', and many hybrid offspring are produced with remarkable change in morphometric characters' body, I think with passing time, so many new variations and differences are developed in mallard duck species, and so many new breeds are produced, that the offspring, f2 generation of the mallard male ducks can now be considered as a separate sub-species.

Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: In our ecosystem ducks play important role, they are also known as waterfowls. Anas platyrhynchos is given the status of least concern species by IUCN-2016.