Diversity and distribution pattern of scorpions from the Ouarsenis massif of Tissemsilt, North-West Algeria

Abstract. Chedad AW, Hammou MA, Chelghoum H, A, Amara OO, El Bouhissi M, Dahmani W, Sadine SE. 2022. Diversity and distribution pattern of scorpions from the Ouarsenis massif Tissemsilt, North-West Algeria. Biodiversitas 23: 2444-2450. Ecological barriers such as mountains are important factors leading to fragmentation range different species cause vicariance events. (Tissemsilt, Algeria) is an protected Park. This paper presents a preliminary study scorpion diversity assesses this biodiversity change in Mountain along gradient many ecological descriptors, including elevation, vegetation cover, slope, soil types. During 2020 2021, we sampled 179 specimens by direct hunting eight biotopes massif. Only adult individuals were used for identification after being killed kept 70% alcohol. Based on morphological criteria, identified distributed two genera families. The family Buthidae was represented five with highest relative abundance (RA) Buthus tunetanus (RA: 47.49%). Furthermore, Scorpionidae three RA Scorpio maurus 25.14%). Shannon index (H’: 2.71 bits) indicated that region had high level value evenness (E: 0.90) reflected equilibrium between effectiveness species. main determinant descriptor elevation types, while cover could be considered ancillary factor.