Abstract:
The prospection of eight (08) localities of the North-East of Algeria belonging to
three bioclimatic stages allows us to carry out a series of samplings in the edaphic
environments. Samples analyzed at the laboratory of Biosystematics and arthropods
ecology.
The fauna encountered is composed of 89 species belonging to the four orders of
known Collembola, to 17 families and 51 genera. The predominance of the Poduromorpha
order with 43 species constitutes a remarkable character of this fauna. 24 species are
reported here for the first time in Algeria including Isotomurus sp., Proisotoma sp. and
Pseudosinella sp. 1, all three harvested at Collo, are new to Science and are being
described.
Among the eight localities surveyed, it is from the Collo forest that most of the
species harvested and identified are found, ie 72 species. The richness of the Neanuridae
massif is much greater than that of most other Mediterranean regions (excluding Corsica)
sampled significantly. Diversity indices indicate that Oued Z'hor is the richest station
among the four stations surveyed at Collo.
Another major interest of this faunistic study is the discovery of biogeographically
unexpected taxa, in particular Sensillanura austriaca with its unusual ""Collo - Northern
Alps"" disjunction model.
A common species in our samples that can be new has been described and drawn.
This description revealed that the species may be related to the species Heteromurus
tetrophthalmus Börner, 1903 of Sicily, insufficiently described and considered for more
than 30 years as a synonym of H. nitidus Templeton, 1836.
Today, this work makes the Collo Massif one of the richest sites in Algeria for the
diversity of its fauna. It also illustrates the extent of geographical gaps in the knowledge of
this Algerian fauna.
