MACRO BENTHIC DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION IN AJIWA DAM

This research has Identify the benthic diversity and distribution in AJIWA dam katsina State. The research was prompted by persistent information on the diversity and distribution of macrobentic organism in ajiwa dam. The research has no objectives, one of which seeks to determining the abundance and diversity of macro bentos in AJIWA dam Katsina state. The last one seek to determining the distribution of macro bentos across site A, B and C' in AJWA dam Katsina state. The research reviewed literature on; Macroinvertebrates, Some Identified macroimertebrate groups that have been observed in some water bodies and their significance, Macroinvertebrates in aquatic ecosystems, Macroinvertebrates in freshwater ecosystems. The present study shows that Coleoptera represented by Onychohydrous sp. and Hydrophilous sp: Diptera is mainly represented by Chironomus sp and Tanitarsus sp: Ephemeroptera and Odonata were represented by Caenis sp and Lestes sp respectively. The Mollusca is the most dominant group represented by Anadonta anatine Anadonta cygna, Bulinus sp. Cleopatra bulimoides, Lymanea natalensis, Melanoides tubaculata and Physa sp. The second most dominant group is Oligochaeta, represented by Diplogaster sp. Eisenniella sp, Lumbrichlus spand Tubifex sp Out of the total species identified in this Melanoides tuberculate was found to have the highest number of occurrence with a total number of 238 species (25.24%), and the least abundant species is Lestes sp with a total of 2 species (0,2196) (Table 1). The highest number of benthic macroinertebrates recorded was in Site C with a cumulative total number of 455(48,25%) organisms (Table I). Site A recorded the least total number of benthic macroinvertebrates with cumulative total number of 215(22.80%6) organisms.