Pak. J. Bot., 43(1): 15-27, 2011. DISTRIBUTION OF FAMILY FRAGILARACEAE (BACILLAROPHYCOTA) IN THE REGION OF MULTAN, PAKISTAN B. GHAZALA * AND ARIFA HABIB Department of Botany, Govt. College University, Katchery Road, Lahore-54000, Pakistan. Abstract Eleven species of Bacillariophycota were collected from various freshwater habitat of Multan Pakistan. The present paper describes the taxonomy and distribution of 11 freshwater pennate diatoms belonging to freshwater bodies such as ponds, lakes and fish farms of Multan from April to November 2009. All these 11 species belonging to family Fragilaraceae have been described for the first time from these areas. Introduction Plankton community is a heterogenous group of phytoplankton and zooplankton which are suspended in the sea and freshwater (Battish, 1992). Phytoplankton play important role in food chain as they are primary producers in aquatic ecosystem of our biotope (Shameel, 2002). The production of fish is also influenced by primary and secondary productivity of aquatic ecosystem (Panday, 1981). The first investigation on diatoms was made by West & West (1902) from the region now included in Pakistan. Later on Carter (1926) reported 49 species followed by Abdul-Majeed (1935). Salim & Khan (1960) described 102 species of Peshawar velley (N.W.F.P.) of Pakistan. Investigations on diatoms from coastal waters of Pakistan were also made (Salim, 1954, 1963; Salim & Iqbal, 1964; Saifullah & Moazzum, 1978; Ghazala, 2006, 2007). Freshwater diatoms of Sindh (Daudpota & Leghari, 1993, Jahangir et al., 2000, 2001; Leghari et al., 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005a, b; Leghari & Leghari, 2002), Punjab, N. W. F. P. and Azad-Kashmir (Masud-ul-Hasan & Zeb-un-Nisa, 1986, Masud-ul-Hasan & Batool, 1987; Masud-ul-Hasan & Yunus, 1989; Leghari MK et al., 1991, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2004; Sultana et al., 1991, Leghari & Sultana, 1993; Tariq-Ali et al., 2005, 2006a, b, c, d, 2007, 2008). But no survey was conducted in the southern regions of Punjab. So, a research programme has been started in April 2009 to investigate distribution pattern of diatoms from different habitats in Multan region (Ghazala & Arifa, 2009). In this collection 11 species of 6 genera belonging to family Fragilaraceae have been found, their taxonomic description and distribution in various habitats of Multan have been discussed in this paper. Materials and Methods Genera Anomoeoneis, Fragilaria, Fragilariforma, Asterionella, Delphinies, Cymatosira and Synedra belonging to family Fragilaraceae (Bacillariophycota) have been collected mainly from Multan, the southern region of Punjab, Pakistan, during April-November 2009. Collections have been made from ponds, lakes, fish farms and treated water of various factories of Multan. *Corresponding author E-mail: dr.ghazalayasmeen@gcu.edu.pk