An updated checklist of the mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Algeria based on records published from 1903 to 2021 is presented. Fifty-three species belonging to seven genera are known with reasonable confidence to occur in the country, including Aedes (15 species), Anopheles (15), Coquillettidia (2), Culex (14), Culiseta (5), Orthopodomyia (1) and Uranotaenia (1). Two additional species, Culex simpsoni Theobald, 1905 and Uranotaenia balfouri Theobald, 1904, are provisionally regarded as present in Algeria. Published records are listed for each species, with indication of synonymous usage and variant spelling of names where applicable. The type locality of Aedes biskraensis Brunhes, 1999 is restricted to Seriana in Sidi Okba District in Biskra Province. Problematic species and doubtful occurrence records based on apparently misidentified specimens and confused taxonomy are discussed. Notes on taxonomy and medical importance are provided for the more important species.

The application of geometric morphometry on mosquito wings (Culicidae) is considered a powerful tool for evaluating correlations between the phenotype (e.g., shape) and environmental or genetic variables. However, this has not been used to study the wings of the avian malaria vector, Culiseta longiareolata. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate the intra-specific wing variations between male and female Cs. longiareolata populations in different types of larval habitats and climatic conditions in Algeria. A total of 256 Cs. longiareolata mosquito samples were collected from January 2020 to July 2021 in three cities (Annaba, El-Tarf, and Guelma) of northeastern Algeria that have two distinct climatic condition levels (sub-humid and sub-arid) and different types of larval habitats (artificial and natural). Nineteen (19) wing landmarks (LMs) were digitized and analyzed based on geometric morphometry. Our results revealed differences in the wing shape of female and male mosquito populations, indicating sexual dimorphism. Moreover, canonical variance analysis (CVA) showed that factors, such as climatic conditions and type of larval habitats, also affect the wing shape of female and male Cs. longiareolata mosquito populations. Furthermore, the wing shape of male populations was more distinct compared with female populations.

This study aimed to characterise mosquito species distribution based on the nature and type of breeding habitats and the influence of the vegetation that occupies these sites. Knowledge of variation in breeding site types can help in the design of optimal vector control strategies. In different areas of Biskra (southeast Algeria), mosquito immature stages were collected using standard dippers. Twenty-four breeding sites were found in four areas of Biskra (Chetma, Bbordj Ben Azouz, Sidi Okba and Biskra). With a total of 44 677 individuals, the inventory of Culicidae revealed 22 species distributed through six genera from 2009 to 2013. Three species — Aedes caspius, Culex pipiens and Culiseta longiareolata — were the most predominant, occupying several different types of permanent and temporary breeding sites. In addition, analysis of the distribution of species based on the flora occupying these sites revealed that Culex laticinctus, Aedes annulipes, Anopheles sergentii, Culiseta longiareolata, Culex pipie...

Several species of mosquitoes (Culicidae) are responsible for transmitting pathogens to animals and humans. The study of these species and the fight against these natural enemies are among the current concerns of scientists. Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are chemicals that disrupt the growth and development of insects. They are often used in pest control strategies to target specific stages in an insect's life cycle, An inventory of Culicidae in the M'chouneche region (34° 56' 59.99" N, 6° 00' 0.00" E) (Biskra, southeastern Algeria) was conducted in various breeding sites between November 2022 and May 2023.Four species of Culicidae were identified (Culiseta longiareolata, Culex pipiens, Culex theileri and Anopheles multicolor). Under experimental conditions, control tests were conducted to evaluate the toxicity of three insects growth regulators (Lufenuron, Teflubenzuron, and Spirotetramat) on the fourth larval stage of Cs. longiareolata. Lufenuron revealed a higher toxic effect with a rate of 57%, ranging from 0 to 100%, compared to Spirotetramat with an average mortality rate of 37.71% with a range of 0 to 80%, and Teflubenzuron showed an average mortality rate of 12.08%, ranging from 0 to 45%. The mortality rates increased from one concentration to another over time, and the correlation coefficient was low 30 % about the two factors (time and concentration) with the mortality rates. Individuals treated after their adult stage showed a significant late in their development. For the concentration of 20 mg/l and 40 mg/l, the delay duration was approximately 2 days ± 12 hours. In contrast, for the third concentration (80 mg/l), the development delay was around 3 days ± 15 hours.

Culiseta longiareolata (Macquart, 1838) (Diptera, Culicidae) is one of the important mosquito species distributed in Algeria. It acts as a vector of avian malaria, tularemia, Malta fever (brucellosis), and several arboviruses, such as West Nile fever and western encephalitis virus. To eliminate undesirable insect vectors of pathogens, botanical-based insecticides are increasingly recommended. This research was focused on the analysis of the chemical composition of essential oils from Artemisia absinthium (Asteraceae) and Thymus serpyllum (Lamiaceae) obtained by hydrodistillation using gas chromatography – mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Furthermore, these oils were tested for the first time for their larvicidal activity against fourth-instar larvae of C. longiareolata. In the Th. serpyllum essential oil, linalool (25.40%) was the major constituent, followed by camphor (19.75%) and α-pinene (11.25%). In the A. absinthium essential oil, the major compound was camphor (39.01%), followed by chamazulene (14.51%). Our study found significant larvicidal effects against the fourth-instar larvae, with a direct correlation among the larval mortality rate, applied concentrations, and duration of exposure to the treatment, where the mortality increased over time. Also, the results indicated a significant difference in the mortality rate between the two samples of essential oils. The essential oil extracted from A. absinthium was highly effective against mosquito larvae, achieving the LC50 values of 10.42, 6.19 and 3.82 ppm at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively, while the essential oil from Th. serpyllum achieved the LC50 values of 12.16, 7.79, and 6.88 ppm. Based on the current results, both the plants could be used as new alternatives for mosquito control.

Mosquitoes (Culicidae) are hematophagous insects that play a major role as vectors of diverse pathogens affecting human health. Understanding their distribution and diversity is essential for assessing pathogen risks and developing control strategies. This study investigated the Culicid fauna in the semi-humid region of northeastern Algeria (Annaba-El Tarf) over a period from ...