A preliminary list of the Ant Fauna in Northeastern Sahara of Algeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v64i2.1386

Keywords:

Naturel areas, cultivated areas, Strumigenis membranifera, Sahara, myrmecofauna

Abstract

We present here a preliminary list of ant fauna of some study sites in the
northeastern Sahara of Algeria using two methodologies, quadrat and
pitfall traps (Barber-pots) methods. This work was conducted in wild and
agricultural ecosystems in the basin of Ouargla, El-Oued region and Djamaa
region. We record a total of 26 species of 12 genera belonging to three
subfamilies Dolichoderinae, Formicinae, and Myrmicinae. Species of the
Myrmicinae and Formicinae were the most abundant with 62.96% and
29.63% respectively. The most diverse genus was Monomorium Mayr, 1855
(6 species), followed by Messor Forel, 1890 (5). The highest diversity of ants
was in Djamaa region (24 species), followed by Ouargla (18) and El-Oued
(13). Moreover, this work shows the first record of the species Strumigenys
membranifera Emery, 1869 for the Country. Finally, we observed a variation
in the distribution of ant species between study sites, for why, ecological
determinants such as soil need to be studied deeply to explain their influence
on the repartition and richness of the Saharan myrmycofauna of Algeria.

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Author Biographies

Abdellatif Chemala, National High School of Agricultural Sciences, Algiers, Algeria.

Department of Forest and Agricultural Zoology, Doctorant

Mounira Benhamacha, National High School of Agricultural Sciences, Algiers, Algeria.

Department of Forest and Agricultural Zoology, Doctorant

Mohamed Didi OULD El HADJ, Kasdi Merbah University, Ouargla, Algeria.

Department of Naturel science, professor

Faiza Marniche, National High School of veterinary, Algiers, Algeria.

Laboratory of Zoology, Doctor

Samia Daoudi, National High School of Agricultural Sciences, Algiers, Algeria.

Department of Forest and Agricultural Zoology,Professor

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Published

2017-09-21

How to Cite

Chemala, A., Benhamacha, M., OULD El HADJ, M. D., Marniche, F., & Daoudi, S. (2017). A preliminary list of the Ant Fauna in Northeastern Sahara of Algeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology, 64(2), 146–154. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v64i2.1386

Issue

Vol. 64 No. 2 (2017)

Section

Research Article - Ants

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