Faunal Richness And The Checklist Of Algerian Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

This paper presents a new revised "Checklist of the Mosquitoes in Algeria" based on the development of the
mosquito-taxonomic research. While a earlier checklist exist, none have been prepared specifically for Algeria which take into account the extensive studies of the last 20 years. We provide an updated checklist of 61 mosquito species known from Algeria of 3567 listed in Mosquito Taxonomic Inventory. 19 species are added to the checklist found in littérature and our prospections at 20 sites during fifteen years. A checklist for the Algerian mosquito species is presented and the need for a comprehensive ecological study is emphasized. A total of 9 species present in Algeria, are currently recognized for transmitting various mosquito borne agents of human diseases. In order to study the mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna, the samples were collected from 2005 to 2015 using dipping and breeding in the laboratory. Culex pipiens, Culiseta longiareolata and Cx. theileri were the most prevalent and widely distributed species in North Algeria. Aedes albopictus has been included in the previous checklist, the species has significantly increased its geographic range and population in recent years and is now widespread in more than three department (Algiers, Oran and Tizi Ouzou) but absent in department area study despite concerted efforts to find this species. As our study, regular monitoring of culicinae mosquitoes in this area could be the most useful for mosquito control and mosquito-borne disease prevention. This work was undertaken in order to help ongoing and future research on mosquitoes in a broad range of disciplines such as ecology, biogeography and medical entomology.