Research Article

A survey of subterranean Termite (isoptera) Fauna and its population diversity in district Bahawalpur

Muazzam Ali^1*, Nuzhat Sial¹, Shahzad Ashraf² and Abul Hasanat¹

¹Department of Life Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. 63200.

*Correspondence Author E-mail: muazzamali80@yahoo.com

Accepted 22 October  2013

Abstract

A capturing-identification survey was conducted in district Bahawalpur aiming to evaluate the population diversity of subterranean termite fauna of this area. A total six species of termites, Psammotermesrajasthanicus, Coptotermesheimi, Odontotermesobesus, Microtermes unicolor, Microtermesmycophagus and Eramotermesparadoxalis were recorded. Studying Alpha diversity, Simpson and Shannon Indices used to explain different patterns of diversity. Overall values of diversity on Simpson scale were 68% and on Shannon scale was 66%. Maximum diversity was found in August as 64% on Simpson scale and 95% on Shannon scale in September. In the study of Beta diversity, maximum overlapping of species found in Bahawalpur and Adda Mukdi, and minimum in Bahawalpur and Mukdi Adda.

Keywords: Termite, Bahawalpur, Simpson scale, Shannon scale, Isoptera