Termitic Diversity of the Dalhia Fleurs Partial Natural Reserve (Bingerville, Côte d’Ivoire)
Akpa Alexandre Moïse Akpesse *
Laboratory of Natural Environments and Biodiversity Conservation, UFR-Biosciences, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 P.O. Box 582, Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.
Diabaté Dohouonan
Department of Agronomy and Forestry, UFR Agronomic Forestry and Environmental Engineering, University of Man, BP 20 Man, Côte d’Ivoire.
Coulibaly Tenon
Department of Animal Biology, University Péléforo Gon Coulibaly of Korhogo, UFR Sciences Biologiques, BP 1328, Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Yavo Olivier Kouadja
Laboratory of Natural Environments and Biodiversity Conservation, UFR-Biosciences, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 P.O. Box 582, Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.
Kouakou Herve Koua
Laboratory of Natural Environments and Biodiversity Conservation, UFR-Biosciences, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 P.O. Box 582, Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.
Kouassi Philippe Kouassi
Laboratory of Natural Environments and Biodiversity Conservation, UFR-Biosciences, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 P.O. Box 582, Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Termites play an important ecological role. The objective of this work is to evaluate the diversity of termites in two different ecosystems (primary forest and horticultural forest) of the Partial Dalhia Fleurs Natural Reserve (DFNR) In each ecosystem, three transects were carried out using the standardized rapid termite assessment method. A total of 20 species of termites were sampled. In the primary forest, 18 species were sampled and 16 species in the horticultural forest. These species belong to two families which are the Termitidae with 17 species and the Rhinotermitinae. These termites were Macrotermes subhyalinus, Macrotermes bellicosus, Acanthotermes sp, Odontotermes sp, Ancistrotermes guineensis, Microtermes sp, Microtermes sp2, Procubitermes sp, Protermes sp, Pericapritermes sp, Microcerotermes parvus, Amphidotermes sp, Cubitermes fungifaber, Noditermes sp, Apilitermes sp, Amitermes guineensis and Trinervitermes sp. The second family was that of Rhinotermitidae with 3 species namely Coptotermes intermedius, Coptotermes sjöstedti and Schedorhinotermes lamanianus. Thus, the Dalhia Fleur Nature Reserve abounds in a significant wealth of termitic fauna. It is therefore important to protect it further.
Keywords: Biodiversity, horticultural forest, nature conservation, termites, primary forest