The present investigation was undertaken as a pilot study to examine the diversity and occurrence of dragonflies and damselflies belonging to the order Odonata from Gandheswari River Bank and adjoining fields and cultivated lands in Bankura District of West Bengal, India during January 2014 to December 2014. A combination of direct search and opportunistic sighting methods were applied during the present study to record 58 different Odonata species comprising of 39 dragonflies and 19 damselflies. Among the dragonflies the most diverse family was Libellulidae represented by 30 species while among damselflies Coenagrionidae was recorded as the most diverse family represented by 13 species. However, increasing pollution in River Gandheswari, conversion of land use pattern along with increasing urbanization is causing fragmentation, degradation and loss of habitat types, may be / are affecting biodiversity and needs serious attention from the concerned authorities most urgently. The present study was the first attempt to make a checklist of Odonates from Gandheswari River bank and adjoining regions and further investigations are needed to portray a comprehensive picture of Odonate diversity from this region.
