Living ostracods (Crustacea) from Algerian Sahara and High Plains: ecological data and new records

Abstract

Between 2017 and 2018, in order to complete the list of the Algerian freshwater ostracods, 62 water bodies were sampled across the Sahara and the semi-arid High Plains. The physico-chemical parameters (salinity, temperature and pH) were measured, and the coordinates of the sites, their surface area and altitude were also recorded. A total of 24 ostracod species were identified, belonging to 4 different families (Darwinulidae, Ilyocyprididae, Cyprididae and Cytherideidae). The maximum number of species in a single site was six. The most common species was Heterocypris incongruens (24 records). Three species are new to Algeria: Darwinula stevensoni, Oncocypris muelleri and Candelacypris aragonica. The ecology of the new and the most common species is discussed. Moreover, in order to evaluate the relationship between the distribution of ostracods and environmental parameters (pH, salinity and temperature), a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was performed. The first two axes of the CCA diagram explain 92.97% of the cumulative variance of the relationship between species and physico-chemical parameters of the sites.