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The objective of this research was to describe the variation in breeding practices in the population of Arabian horses in Algeria in relation to the population size drop observed in the 2000s, due to an increase in the cost of food and a change in interest in racing, related to the black decade. As a result, the breeders had to face two opposite constraints: enhancing reproduction to counter the population decline and preventing the loss of genetic diversity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the genetic consequences of the decisions taken over a period of 30 years, starting from 1988 to 2018. The study was based on the analyses of the stud-book and on 11 microsatellite markers in a group of 943 horses, distributed into 13 age classes. Between 2004 and 2008, the breeders purchased foreign sires and dams, allowing a relative stability in unbiased heterozygosity of about 71%, due to the high genetic distances between foreign and local horses. As these importations stopped from 2009 on, there was a decrease in allele numbers of about 20%. Moreover, from 2010 on, we observe an excess of inbreeding and an increase in genetic drift relative to the starting population, due to population size decline. From the analysis of genetic distances between local individuals, it seems that the only constraint for sires and dams allowed to mate was a null coefficient of inbreeding.

The Cuvier's gazelle Gazella cuvieri is a vulnerable species of high conservational importance, which is endemic in Northwestern Africa. The present study aimed to characterize gastrointestinal parasites in G. cuvieri and to understand the relationship between seasonality factor and parasitic infection rates as well as to analyse their conservational importance in seasonally-variable environments in northern Algeria. Totally, 48 faecal samples were analysed and ten gastrointestinal parasite species were identified, representing seven species of gastrointestinal helminths and three species of parasitic protozoans. It was observed that the seasonal faecal samples were mostly infected with Nematodirus sp. (prevalence 97.9 %). The overall prevalence of Marshallagia sp. and Eimeria sp. were significantly very higher in rainfall season compared to harsh environmental season. The highest gastrointestinal parasite counts were recorded during and soon after peak rainfall, while the lowest value was in the dry season. These findings show that seasonality can be an important driver of gastrointestinal parasitic infections. It seems that observations such as the high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and intensity of the infection, especially in the winter season, should be specifically considered by the wildlife conservation officers. This study could be the key to success in the long-term conservation of this vulnerable species in its native range and in providing a wealth of new information about parasite biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feeding ecology of the aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) was investigated for the first time in north‐western Sahara, Djebel Antar (Bechar province, Algeria), from autumn 2015 to summer 2016. Microhistological analyses of faeces revealed an annual diet composed of 23 identified taxa belonging to 16 plant families. The highest species diversity was recorded in spring and summer (23 species), despite a marked consumption of two species: Vachellia tortilis (17.7%) and Avena sterilis (14.0%); diet diversity was lower in autumn and winter (16 species), including mainly Teucrium polium (14.7%, 21.0%) and Gymnocarpos decander (19.7%, 10.0%). The main plant parts consumed during these seasons were stems (77.7%, 65.3%), while leaves and inflorescences were mostly consumed during spring and summer (54.7%, 52.3%). Forbs dominated the aoudad's diet, with 46.3% average relative abundance, including mainly T. polium, Limoniastrum feei, and Chrysanthemum macrocarpum. Woody plants including mainly V. tortilis and G. decander accounted for 33.3% (50.0% in autumn), and grasses including A. sterilis and H. murinum for 20.4% (32.0% in summer). Based on this diet, A. lervia can be classified as a "generalist mixed‐feeder." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although melanism is common in some mammal species, particularly in domestic forms, its occurrence in lagomorphs is rare. We report the first records of melanistic wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus in North Africa. These were obtained from a camera-trap set in Tiaret governorate, Algeria, in 2019 and 2020. Melanism is restricted to few species of Leporidae, genera Sylvilagus and Lepus. Dark rabbits have been reported to a new subspecies from Camargue (France), however this status is not recognized any longer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diet composition of Pharaoh Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) was investigated in a semiarid area of North-western Algeria. A total of 65 pellets regurgitated by the B. ascalaphus were analysed, 288 food items were composed primarily of mammal remains (4 rodents, 1 bat and insectivore, 93.7%), and 1 bird species (passerine, 6.3%). The most frequent prey among the mammals were rodents (83.3%), which included Mus musculus (59.7%), Meriones shawi (11.1%), Meriones libycus (11.1%) and Jaculus jaculus (1.4%). The rodents were the most important prey items in biomass (91.4%), M. shawi made up to 41.9% of the total biomass. We may conclude that the Pharaoh Eagle Owl relies, in its feeding, very broadly on small mammals, completed by other groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The greater mouse-tailed bat (Rhinopoma microphyllum Brunnich 1782) is reported for the first time in Algeria from two caves of the Boukaïs region (Bechar). Noseleaf shape, forearm and tail lengths clearly identified this species. The frequency of maximal energy of echolocation calls varied from 28.2 to 31.2 kHz for hand released individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The date moth is a pest that causes damage to the date palm and decline the quality walking of this production. For this, in this study, the 4th instar larvae of Ectomyelois ceratoniae three tests were performed. In the first, we tested a biopesticide Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki only with 3 concentrations (0.25 g/0.5l, 0.50g/0,5l, 0.75 g/0,5l). In the second test, we added 1% of dextrin to each bacterial concentration. In the third test, 3 doses the Diflubenzuron (0.2 g/l, 0.4 g/l, 0.6 g/l of. The toxicity of B. thuringiensis showed a highly significant mortality on the added media and larval stages. Mortalities recorded with the addition of 1% dextrin were relatively higher compared to biopesticide only. Regarding the toxicity of Diflubenzuron, it should be noted that the percentages of mortality recorded for this growth regulator were not very important for the three doses tested. The dose D3 (0,6 g/l) had superior mortalities to those of doses D1 (0,2 g/l) and D2 (0,4 g/l). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to examine the nematode population at some stations of vegetable crops of the province of Tiaret. The results of the study showed various species of nematodes associated with vegetable crops in the Algerian steppe especially the province of Tiaret and Djelfa. We counted eleven genres of phytophagous nematodes represented by Aphelenchus, Aphenchoides, Ditylenchus, Tylenchus, Psilenchus, Pratylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus, Paratylenchus, Cephalobus, Dorylaimus, Rabtidis and Helicotylenchus. The densities of these nematodes vary by location and method of sampling and the nature of the soil. The Cephalobus, Dorylaimus, Ditylenchus and Aphelenchus are the most common and abundant in the three stations of study. These taxa seem to adapt to different types of vegetable soils. Their existence may be subject to significant damage to installed cultures. Furthermore the use of ecological indicators of structure (Frequency and Abundance) class nematodes in 04 groups: • Nematodes abundant and frequent, dangerous for the vegetable crops. • low abundance and frequent Nematodes, less harmful and adapts to different soil types • abundant and infrequent nematodes, their presence in some soils, can be dangerous for the vegetable crops. • Nematodes low abundance and infrequent occasionally meet their densities are low and have little or no damaging. Vegetable crops appear not to be their special host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]