Species Richness of Adult Odonata in Labo River, Ozamiz City, Philippines

Dragonflies and damselflies of the order Odonata are well-known invertebrates and are of great ecological importance. They are among the biological indicators of environment quality. This study aimed to examine the species richness of adult Odonata in Labo River, Ozamiz City. Fieldwork was conducted from October 2013 to February 2014 in three sampling sites for a total of 122 man-hours. Opportunistic sampling method using sweep nets was employed. Twenty-one species under 16 genera and four families were recorded of which five species are endemic. Thirteen species belong to the suborder Anisoptera and eight to Zygoptera. The low species richness and the presence of indicator species of environmental disturbance imply that the sites sampled are already disturbed. The presence of endemic species within the area suggests the urgent need to employ conservation measures. Further surveys should also be done to have a complete database of the Odonata species in Labo River.

 

Keywords: damselflies, dragonflies, endemic, indicators, invertebrates