The dragonflies in the collection of Sapienza University of Rome

The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are key bioindicators of freshwater ecosystem health and are widely used in ecological and conservation research. Historical entomological collections provide a valuable source of biodiversity data, particularly for tracking species distributions over time and detecting environmental changes. The Odonata collection of the Museum of Zoology at Sapienza University of Rome includes 2406 specimens, representing 77 taxa (74 species and three identified at genus level) across 33 genera and 11 families. Most specimens were collected in Italy, with a small subset from other parts of Europe. This collection forms part of the broader entomological heritage of the University and is now being preserved and made accessible for research and public engagement through digitisation and online dissemination initiatives.