A checklist of odonates from Aarey milk colony, Mumbai suburban district, Maharashtra, India

Odonates are fresh-water insects that serve as indicators of the quality of fresh water resources. Aarey Milk Colony (AMC) harbors several seasonal wetlands, serving as an ideal habitat for dragonflies and damselflies. To date, however, odonate diversity in AMC remains understudied. Moreover, the region is currently facing immense anthropogenic pressure, which may result in the permanent destruction of some of the most important wetland habitats in Mumbai Suburban District. Therefore, to document odonate diversity in AMC, we conducted surveys during 2018-2019 and recorded 51 species belonging to 32 genera in 9 families of 2 suborders. Of these, 27 represent new records from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. In the present article, we provide photographic documentation of odonate species and highlight the thriving diversity of these insects in urban habitats. Our findings will contribute to emphasizing the ecological importance of AMC and aid its protection.