The Odonata of Wadi Isser (Kabylia, Algeria): status and environmental determinants of their distribution

Abstract

IUCN Red List Category (Northern Africa): LC. No change of status at the regional scale is proposed.Comments: The only species of Calopteryx recorded. In North Africa, C. haemorrhoidalis occupies fast flowing streams and rivers from high altitudes to sea-level (Samraoui & Corbet, 2000a). Relatively uncommon, the species was sampled at stations 3 and 4. LESTIDAE LESTINAELestes barbarus (Fabricius, 1798) IUCN Red List Category (Northern Africa): Least Concern (LC). No change of status at the regional scale is proposed.Comments: The species is known to breed in lentic, often temporary, habitats (Utzeri et al., 1984). It aestivates as immature adults in wet forests at sea-level and in mountain forests (Samraoui, 2009). The species was locally abundant at Wadi Isser and only sampled at station 3. Samraoui, Weekers & Dumont, 2003 IUCN Red List Category (Northern Africa): DD. In the light of the new findings, we propose that the species be assessed as Near Threatened (NT) on the basis that its habitats in North Africa (temporary wetlands and mountain forests) are under severe anthropogenic pressures with a steep decline of known populations. Lestes numidicusComments: Locally abundant but the species was only captured at station 3. This species is known to aestivate at high altitudes before moving to lowlands in autumn to breed (Samraoui, 2009). It is endemic to Algeria and is assessed as Data Deficient (DD) by IUCN (Riservato et al., 2009;Samraoui et al., 2010).Chalcolestes viridis (Vander Linden, 1825) IUCN Red List Category (Northern Africa): LC. No change of status at the regional scale is proposed.Comments: The species breeds in both lotic and lentic habitats (Grand & Boudot, 2007) and it also aestivates in the adult stage in cool, moist habitats (Agüero-Pelegrin et al., 1999;Samraoui, 2009). The species was moderately abundant at all stations 3, 4 and 5. SYMPECMATINAESympecma fusca (Vander Linden, 1820) IUCN Red List Category (Northern Africa): LC. No change of status at the regional scale is proposed.Comments: Uncommon and limited to station 3. Another lestid that aestivates and hibernates at the adult stage (Samraoui, 2009). PLATYCNEMIDAE Platycnemis subdilatata Sélys, 1849IUCN Red List Category (Northern Africa): LC. No change of status at the regional scale is proposed.Comments: A Maghrebian endemic, locally abundant, and recorded at stations 3, 4, and 5. COENAGRIONIDAE COENAGRIONINAECoenagrion caerulescens (Fonscolombe, 1838) IUCN Red List Category (Northern Africa): LC. No change of status at the regional scale is proposed.Comments: Recorded in low numbers at stations 3 and 4.

Anthropogenic impacts and their influence on the spatial distribution of the Odonata of Wadi el Harrach (North-Central Algeria)

“…All these combined anthropogenic stressors (invasive plant species, pine and Eucalyptus plantation, land clearing and urbanization, recreational activities, thermal pollution, increased salinity, agriculture) and their potential interactions have led to the virtual extirpation of insect life in the lowest part of Wadi El Harrach (unpublished). As was found for Wadi Isser (Bouchelouche et al, 2015), the number of recorded species was highest in the middle course of the wadi. Species richness is known to peak under intermediate levels of disturbance (Connell, 1978;Wilkinson, 1999).…”

“…Odonatology is an exception with work spanning over a century and a half (Samraoui & Menai, 1999;Boudot et al, 2009). In recent work, more emphasis was put on using lotic Odonata as indicators of ecosystem integrity (Bouchelouche et al, 2015;Hamzaoui et al, 2015).…”

“…Likewise, in a single station, 13 species were recorded at Wadi Kébir Est (Benchalel & Samraoui, 2012). A two-year survey of the watershed at Wadi Seybouse totaled 35 species (Khelifa et al, 2011) whereas, with comparable sampling effort and a total of six stations, Wadi Isser provided 19 species (Bouchelouche et al, 2015). However, a thorough comparison between these wadis needs to take into account their hydrology and habitat heterogeneity which may influence aquatic biodiversity (Hardersen, 2008).…”

Odonata of the Mazafran hydrosystem : distribution and community structure

“…Located at high altitude from June to August (wadi Mouzaîa). It was already collected by Bouchelouche et al (2015) more than 370 m above sea level in the sub-basin of the Soummam (Algérois). This species has been cited by Morton (1905) in Hammam Righa, its flight period extends from May to October (Samraoui & Menaï, 1999).…”

Environmental factors influencing odonata communities of three mediterranean rivers : Kebir-East, Seybouse, and Rhumel Wadis, northeastern Algeria

“…Preliminary bioassessment using Odonata fauna of a number Algerian wadi was started with that aim in sight (Khelifa et al, 2011;Benchalel & Samraoui, 2012;Bouchelouche et al, 2015;Hamzaoui et al, 2015;Hafiane et al, 2016).…”