Vol. 8, Issue 7 (2019)

Author(s):
Bernard Kouadio Allali, Lambert K Konan, Nana R Diakite, Mireille Dosso and Eliezer KN Goran

Abstract:
Heteroptera generally colonize most aquatic ecosystems and play an important vector role in the spread of Buruli ulcer. This study aims to determine the diversity and distribution of Heteroptera species in the two pools of Sokrogbo and Vieil Aklodj in southern Côte d'Ivoire. Heteropteran fauna is sampled monthly from January to December 2016 using a Troubleau net. Physico-chemical parameters of the water bodies visited are determined using standard protocols. The results show a total of 35 taxa, belonging to 9 families of heteropterans, at the two study sites. The number of taxa is respectively 32 and 25 at Sokrogbo and at Vieil Aklodj. Among the sampled taxa, Micronecta scutellaris, Diplonychus nepoïdes, Diplonychus sp., Anisops sp. and Ranatra fusca are the most abundant species. The indices Shannon Wiener, Equitability, Margalef and Evenness show that the Sokrogbo pond has a greater diversity than vieil Aklodj and that the differences are significant. The distribution of taxa in both pools depends on environmental variables such as conductivity and concentrations of nitrates, nitrites and phosphorus, which would be related to agricultural activities. The Sokrogbo fauna is therefore more diversified in aquatic Heteroptera than that of Vieil Aklodj, which could be due to environmental conditions and maintain the hyperendemicity of Sokrogbo to Buruli ulcer.