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Arthropods, 2026, 15(3): 145-153
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Article

Study of dragonfly fauna as bioindicator to assess water quality in District Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Muhammad Sajid Zarin1, Sher Abdullah2, Sobia Attaullah1, Sumera Aslam3, Bibi Shabnem4
1Department of Zoology, Islamia College Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
2Department of Zoology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Upper Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
3Honey Bee Research Institute, NARC Islamabad, Pakistan
4Department of Zoology Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan

Received 2 February 2026;Accepted 20 March 2026;Published online 31 March 2026;Published 1 September 2026
IAEES

Abstract
A systematic odonatological survey was conducted to evaluate dragonfly (Odonata) fauna as bioindicators of water quality across twelve selected localities in District Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The study was carried out during the summer seasons from 2021 to 2022. Findings indicate that odonate species exhibit distinct habitat preferences closely linked to specific physicochemical water parameters. The presence of unpolluted aquatic habitats was observed to significantly enhance odonate diversity and persistence by reducing ecological disturbances. A total of 616 dragonfly specimens were collected across the study sites. These were identified as 21 species belonging to 12 genera and 4 families. The family Libellulidae was the most abundant, representing 75.16% of the collected specimens and comprising 15 species across 7 genera. This was followed by Gomphidae (15.25%, 3 species, 3 genera), Aeshnidae (9.41%, 2 species, 1 genus), and Corduliidae (0.16%, 1 species, 1 genus). Orthetrum coerulescens subsp. anceps (Schneider, 1845) was identified as the most abundant species, whereas Macromia moorei (Selys, 1874) was recorded as the rarest.

Keywords Odonata;dragonfly;Libellulidae;bioindicator;water quality;Buner.


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