Flora and Fauna of

Lakshadweep Islands
 Index
 Flora of Lakshadweep Islands
 Fauna of Lakshadweep Islands
 Observations
 Inference
 Applications
 Extension and scope in future
 Bibliography
Flora of Lakshadweep Islands
Artocarpus incisa
( Bread Fruit)

 a species of flowering
tree (Moraceae)
 Trees that bear
breadfruit can reach
heights of 26 meters
 may produce 200 or
more grapefruit-sized
fruits in a single season
on a single tree with no
maintenance.
 Neelakurinji
(Strobilanthes kunthiana)
 Plants are extremely
special due to their rare
nature of flowering every
12 years
 The plant is usually 25 to
60 cm high 
 Received its name from
the purplish-blue flower
 Banana, Vazha
(Musaparadisiaca)
 is a perennial herb that
grows from a bulk of
rhizome
 The fruit grows in large
hanging bunches where
it has about 10 to 20
fingers
  It grows in humid,
tropical areas and is the
world's largest herb
 Colocassia, Chambu
(Colocasia antiquarum)

 They are herbaceous
perennial plants with a
large corm on or just
below the ground surface.
 The leaves are large to
very large, 20–150 cm
(7.9–59.1 in) long, with a
sagittate shape
  Plant gets its name from
the leaves, which are
shaped like a large ear or
shield.
Drumstick, moringakkai 
(Moringa Oleifera)
 is a small to medium
evergreen or deciduous tree
that can grow to a height of
10-12 m
 It has a spreading open
crown, typically umbrella-
shaped
 The fruit is a typically 3-
valved capsule, 10 to 60 cm
in length, often referred to as
a “pod” and looking like a
drumstick (hence the name
"drumstick tree“)
 Jackfruit,Chakka
(Artocarpus incisa)
 The jackfruit tree is 15 to
20 metres (50 to 70 feet)
tall at maturity and has
large stiff glossy green 
leaves about 15 to 20 cm
(6 to 8 inches) long
 Jackfruit is the largest
tree-borne fruit in the
world, reaching up to 60
cm (about 2 feet) long
and weighing up to 18 kg
(about 40 pounds).
 Wild Almond
(Terminalia Catappa)

 The tree grows to 35

metres (115 feet) tall,
with an upright,
symmetrical crown and
horizontal branches
 The leaves are large, 15–
25 cm (6–9+3⁄4 in) long
and 10–14 cm (4–5+1⁄2 in)
broad, ovoid, glossy dark
green, and leathery.
 Kanni
(Scaevolakeeningil)
 is a genus of 
flowering plants in the 
Goodenia family, 
Goodeniaceae.
 It is a large bush
reaching up to about 4 m
in height typical of 
littoral zones where it
grows very close to the
sea exposed to the 
salt spray, usually on
sandy or pebbly soils
 Punna
(Calaphylluminophyllum)
 Calophyllum
inophyllum is a low-
branching and slow-
growing tree, it spreads
with a broad and
irregular crown
 Usually reaches 8 to 30 m
(26 to 98 ft) in height
 The flower is 25 to 30 mm
(0.98 to 1.18 in) wide 
 Chavok
(Casurina equisetifolia)
 Casuarina equisetifolia,
commonly known
as coastal she-
oak, horsetail she-
oak,beach sheoak, beach
casuarina or whistling
tree is a species of
flowering plant in the
family Casuarinaceae 
 is a monoecious tree that
typically grows to a height
of 6–12 m (20–39 ft)
 Cheerani
(Thespesia Populnea)
 is a tree found commonly
on coasts around the
world
 tree reaches a height of
6–10 m (20–33 ft) tall and
its trunk can measure up
to 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in)
in diameter
  able to grow in the wide
range of soil types that
may be present in coastal
 environments,
Coconut, Thenga
(Cacos nucifera)
 The coconut tree (Cocos
nucifera) is a member of
the palm tree family (
Arecaceae) and the only
living species of the genus
 Cocos.
  is the only crop of
economic importance in
Lakshadweep
 These are found in
different varieties such as
Laccadive micro, Laccadive
ordinary, green dwarf etc
Pacific turtle grass
(Thalassia hemprichii)
  is a widespread species
of seagrass in the genus 
Thalassia, native to the
shores of the Indian
Ocean.
 Its growth rate increases
with CO2 enrichment, and it
can tolerate lowered light
conditions caused by algal
blooms, allowing for it to
respond positively to 
ocean acidification and other
disturbances
 Noodle sea grass
  (Cymodocea isoetifolia)
 a species of flowering
plant in the family
Cymodoceaceae, growing
underwater in marine
habitats
  It forms seagrass
meadows in shallow
sandy or muddy locations
in the Indian Ocean
 They prevent sea erosion
and movement of the
beach sediments.
FAUNA OF LAKSHADWEEP ISLAND
 Brown noddy
(Anous stolidus)
 The brown noddy has a
wingspan of 75–86 cm
and measures 38–45 cm
in length.
 Dark chocolate-brown in
color, with a crown and
forehead in a lighter
shade of grey or white
 Dark foot and legs are
paired with a long,
wedge-shaped tail
 Butterfly Fish
(Chaetodon falcula)
 a member of the family
Chaetodontidae is called
Chaetodon falcula, often
known as the black
wedged butterflyfish or
falcula butterflyfish
 Chaetodon falcula has a
white body with several
slender, vertical dark grey
lines as its only markings
 There are yellow fins on
the dorsal, anal, and
caudal fins.
 Tharathasi
(Sterna fuscata)
  It is a bird of the
tropical oceans, breeding
on islands throughout
the equatorial zone.
 The wings and deeply
forked tail are long, and
it has dark grey
upperparts and white
underparts
Clams /Snails
( Molluscans)
 Molluscs have a mantle
or mass of soft flesh that
covers the soft body and
encloses the internal
organs.
 They have a mantle with
glands that secret a
substance that hardens
into a shell.
 Money cowrie
(Cypraea monita)
 is a species of small sea
snail,a marine gastropod 
mollusk  in the family 
Cypraeidae, the cowries.
 It is a quite small cowry, up
to 3 cm (1.2 in), irregular
and flattened, with very
calloused edges and
roughly subhexagonal.
Hermit Crab
(Paguroidea)
 Hermit crabs are decapod
crustaceans of the
superfamily Paguroidea
 Most hermit crabs salvage
empty seashells to shelter
and protect their soft
abdomens
 Hermit crabs live at a
range of depths from
shallow coral reefs and
shorelines to deep
bottoms
 Parrot fish
(Callyedon sordidus)
 is a species of marine 
fish in the family 
Scaridae
 occurs in both coral rich
and open pavement
areas of shallow reef
flats, in lagoon reefs and
seaward reefs, it can
also be found at drop-
offs
 Surgeonfish
(acanthurus lineatus)
 This species reaches
about 38 centimeters in
length.
 Much of the body has
black-edged blue and
yellow stripes, and the top
of the head is striped with
yellow.
 The lined surgeonfish is
associated with reefs,
living in marine waters
just a few meters deep
Observations
 The region does not have a rich flora and there
is also an absence of forest in the region.
 Nearly 400 species of flowering plants have
been documented, including three species of sea
grasses
 It has over 600 species of marine fishes, 78
species of corals, 82 species of seaweed, 52
species of crabs, 2 species of lobsters, 48
species of gastropods, 12 species of bivalves,
101 species of birds in Lakshadweep

  From Lakshadweep 400 species of plants, 101

species of birds and 603 species of marine fishes
are recorded. 
Inference
 Lakshadweep, is an archipelago of group of 36 islands is
known for its beaches and lush green landscape with flora
and fauna
 The natural landscapes, the sandy beaches, abundance of
flora and fauna and the absence of a rushed lifestyle
enhance the mystique of Lakshadweep. Lakshadweep has a
tropical climate and it has an average temperature of 27° C
– 32° C
 Coral reefs provide habitat, breeding ground, shelter,
nesting place and niche for many protected species like
coelenterate, holothurians, echinoderms, mollusks, sponges
and marine turtles, mammals and many other fauna & flora.
 The Islands must be prepared to face and deal with
problems like wildlife crimes, over exploitations,
unsustainable fishing, pollutions,unemployment, sanitation,
disturbance to the fragile ecology and many more. It is high
time to protect and conserve these fragile and most
dedicate ecosystems by all means to protect the
Lakshadweep Biodiversity.
Applications
 The vast knowledge of flora and fauna of Lakshadweep
Islands help to preserve its mixed biodiversity.

 Conservation of lagoons , Coral reefs and coastal land can

promote a sustainable ecosystem in the island.

 Study of flora and fauna is very important to understand the

special features of flora and fauna of islands, that can be
used to prevent the extinction and endangerment of several
species.
 The Department of Environment & Forest, under U.T of
Lakshadweep Administration was bifurcated in the year 1999.
Before that it was functioning with the Department of Science
& Technology. During the year 2018, a total of 6 Divisions
were created in the department, for the convenience of the
better administration and management, with a view to
protect and conserve natural resources of Forest &
Environment
Extension and scope in future
 Lakshadweep and Andaman-Nicobar Island, the most
precious place of our India, are famous for their nature,
biodiversity and wildlife which cannot be seen all over
Indien
 They serve as the economic lifeline for coastal
community and plays a pivotal role in shaping the
diversification of the eco system
 These diverse floral and faunal diversity of
Lakshadweep needs an efficient science – based
protective approach for now and for the future
 Future studies are very relevant to understand the
ecological conservation of this island which helps to
attain a sustainable island with self sufficient
resources.
Bibliography
1. https://lakshadweep.gov.in/about-lakshadweep/fauna-flora/
2. Ayyam Velmurugan et al (2008). Biodiversity and Climate
Change Impacts on the Lakshadweep Islands
3.
https://www.india-travel-information.com/india-information/u
nion-territories-of-india/lakshadweep/flora-and-fauna/
4. https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/316652-Lakshadweep-
Check-List
5. https://www.webindia123.com/territories/lakshadweep/land/f
auna.htm
6. https://doef.utl.gov.in/uploads/Annual_Report_2018-19.pdf
7. https://greenverz.com/lakshadweep-islands/
8. https://zenodo.org/record/3342533
9. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/
indiastatistics/save-lakshadweep-33051/
Project done by
Abhijith Kartha
Aaron Shibin
Abbas Murtaza
Abdullah Ansari
( Group 1)
Grade 7 Aries
Smart Indian School,Kuwait
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