ABSTRACT
The present checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of Algeria is based on literature items published from 1846 to 2022. Altogether 876 species belonging to 51 families are listed. Taxonomic references are mentioned for each species, with indication of synonymous usage or taxa changes. Information about species distribution in the Algerian provinces is also provided, revealing significant disparities in knowledge about each province. Linyphiids present the highest number of known species (155) and the highest endemic richness (54 species). Eight families are represented by a single species. 227 species are known exclusively from Algeria. Moreover, a comparison was executed between the results reported in Algeria and those reported in the neighboring countries (Tunisia, Morocco, and Libya).
Subject(s)
Spiders , Animals , Spiders/classificationABSTRACT
The application of geometric morphometry on mosquito wings (Culicidae) is considered a powerful tool for evaluating correlations between the phenotype (e.g., shape) and environmental or genetic variables. However, this has not been used to study the wings of the avian malaria vector, Culiseta longiareolata. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate the intra-specific wing variations between male and female Cs. longiareolata populations in different types of larval habitats and climatic conditions in Algeria. A total of 256 Cs. longiareolata mosquito samples were collected from January 2020 to July 2021 in three cities (Annaba, El-Tarf, and Guelma) of northeastern Algeria that have two distinct climatic condition levels (sub-humid and sub-arid) and different types of larval habitats (artificial and natural). Nineteen (19) wing landmarks (LMs) were digitized and analyzed based on geometric morphometry. Our results revealed differences in the wing shape of female and male mosquito populations, indicating sexual dimorphism. Moreover, canonical variance analysis (CVA) showed that factors, such as climatic conditions and type of larval habitats, also affect the wing shape of female and male Cs. longiareolata mosquito populations. Furthermore, the wing shape of male populations was more distinct compared with female populations.
