Abstract
Algeria is the largest country in Africa (2,381,741km²), with 85% of the area consisting of the Sahara opening on to the Mediterranean (1,200 km coastline). Initially, 26 species of microbats were reported, and no comprehensive study has been undertaken since 1991. The advent of genetic molecular studies has revealed some species to be the same (Pipistrellus deserti and Pipistrellus kuhlii) while others have had their nomenclature changed (Eptisecus isabellinus instead of Eptisecus serotinus, Plecotus gaisleri instead of Plecotus austriacus, Rhinopoma cystops instead of Rhinopoma hardwickei). Miniopterus schreibersii is now classified in the new family of Miniopteridae. These changes have corrected the number of Algerian bat species to 25, belonging to seven different families. All species are threatened globally and are protected at the national level by Decree 12-135.
Highlights
Laurent (1944) first banded bats in North Africa in 1942 in a cave in the vicinity of Algiers, and Anciaux de Faveaux (1976) established a major study of Algerian bats. He recorded 23 species belonging to five families, some of which are rare and the taxonomic classification of two remains problematic. This list was supplemented by Gaisler (1983), who worked mainly in the northern part of the country and first pointed out the presence of Myotis nattereri in Algeria, and the reappearance after an absence of nearly a century of Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Myotis capaccinii
In view of the paucity of data on the current status of bats of Algeria, we have attempted in this paper to highlight the need for a thorough study of the order Chiroptera and provide actual information about Algerian Chiroptera for the scientists and bat conservation organizations in the world to be aware of this important heritage
For Kowalski & Rzebik-Kowalska (1991) it is possible that the specimens found in southern Algerian oases, e.g., Tamanrasset and El Golea, described as Pipistrellus kuhlii belong to P. deserti
Summary
L’Algérie est le plus grand pays d’Afrique avec 2 381 741 km dont 85% de la superficie est occupée par le Sahara, elle s’ouvre sur la Méditerranée sur un littoral de 1 200 km de littoral. L’avènement des études de génétique moléculaire a révélé que certaines espèces étaient les mêmes (Pipistrellus deserti et Pipistrellus kuhlii) tandis que d’autres ont changé de nomenclature (Eptisecus isabellinus au lieu de Eptisecus serotinus, Plecotus gaisleri au lieu de Plecotus austriacus, Rhinopoma cystops au lieu de Rhinopoma hardwickei) , et Miniopterus schreibersii est maintenant classé dans la nouvelle famille des Miniopteridae. Author Details: Lecturer- Researcher, PhD in biological sciences, affiliated to the Ecology and Environment Research Laboratory of the Faculty of Sciences of Nature and Life - Abderrahmane Mira University - Bejaia - Algeria. He works on mammals and especially bats in the field of ecology, conservation biology and the study of the echolocation of Algerian species. We gratefully acknowledge the benevols have done the revision of the English, and the reviewers
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