Liste taxonomique des abeilles du genre Andrena (Hymenoptera : Apoidea : Andrenidae) du Nord-Est algérien avec les commentaires et les ajouts aux autres régions du pays

This study concerns the species list of Hymenoptera Apoidea Andrenidae belonging to Andrena genus collected during years 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 in the north-eastern Algeria. A total of 58 species from 27 subgenera are reported including a species described in 2011, Andrena (Parandrenella) tebessana Scheuchl, Benarfa & Louadi. Two species are new for the Algerian fauna: A. (Orandrena) monilia Warncke 1967 and A. (Suandrena) cyanomicans Pérez 1895. A. (Margandrena) quinquepalpa Warncke 1980 has been only very recently cited from Algeria from the material described here. The present study also includes the Algerian distribution of each species, flight periods and flower choices.     

Phylogénie des espèces de Clavipanurgus Warncke, 1972 (Hymenoptera,Apoidea: Andrenidae)

La phylogénie des Panurginae, en particulier des espèces de l’Ancien Monde, a fait l’objet de peu d’études. Seuls trois auteurs ont réalisé des essais de synthèses systématiques et de reconstruction des affinités phylogénétiques de ces taxons. Parmi ceux-ci, Patiny a proposé une révision extensive des travaux antérieurs, de la systématique et de la phylogénie des espèces de la sous-famille. Dans ce cadre, l’étude de quelques taxons a cependant été moins approfondie, c’est en particulier le cas de Clavipanurgus et Panurginus Nylander, 1848. L’inférence des affinités évolutives des espèces de Clavipanurgus est le sujet de la présente recherche. Sur la base de l’analyse des caractères sexuels primaires et secondaires des mâles des dix espèces de Clavipanurgus, on produit ici la première reconstruction de la phylogénie du genre. Une série de groupes d’espèces sont identifiés et comparés du point de vue morphologique.     

Les monuments funéraires en trou de serrure de l’Edjereh et de l’Amadror (Ahaggar,Algérie)

In this work, we will try to illuminate that in the Ahaggar region (Algeria) funerary monuments are very abundant with a various architecture. A series of archaeological field explorations has made it possible to gather the necessary observations and measurements. The most spectacular architecture is the so-called “keyhole architecture”, also identified as “corridor and enclosure”, which has been recognised in the central Ahaggar, with the exception of the Téfedest area, which has not yet produced any examples. The here is to present some keyhole monuments recognised during our various missions in the Edjereh and Amadror regions, some of which have been the subject of archaeological excavations in the past.     

Intérêt du dosage de l’inhibine B et de l’AMH dans le plasma séminal: étude préliminaire

Objectives

The aim of this study was to establish reference values for seminal inhibin B and AMH concentrations in patients with normal and abnormal sperm parameters. Preliminary analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of these markers for retrieving testicular sperm in non-obstructive azoospermic men.

Methods

Seminal inhibin B and AMH concentrations were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunoassay in three groups of men: 47 patients with normal sperm parameters, 28 oligospermic men and 68 patients with azoospermia.

Results

Inhibin B and AMH concentrations varied considerably in the three groups, but were significantly higher in normospermic men (inhibin B: 714.36±522.66 ng/l, AMH: 97.08±135.15 pmol/l) than in oligospermic men (inhibin B: 417.5±386.9 ng/l, AMH: 62.02±93.33 pmol/l) and azoospermic men (59.61±2.65 ng/l et 13.12±31.94 pmol/l, respectively) (p<0.001). A significant correlation (p=0.0054) was observed between seminal inhibin B concentration and sperm production. Testicular biopsy allowed sperm retrieval in 11 out of 21 patients (52.3%). The predictive value of seminal inhibin B was analyzed using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. The best discriminating inhibin B concentration was 30 ng/l with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.63.

Conclusion

This study confirms the correlation between seminal inhibin B and AMH concentrations and spermatogenesis. However, the significance of these two markers as predictors of the presence of testicular sperm in men with non-obstructive azoospermia is limited. This analysis shows that AMH and inhibin B, either alone or in combination with serum FSH, fail to predict the presence of sperm in men with non-obstructive azoospermia undergoing testicular sperm extraction.     

Les Agriotheriinae (Mammalia,Carnivora) néogènesde l'Ancien Monde présence du genre Indarctos dans la faune de Menacer (Ex-Marceau), Algérie

Newly recognized specimens reveal the occurrenceof an agriotherine ursid, Indartos aff. arctoides, in the Late Miocene fauna of Menacer (ex-Marceau), Algeria). The identification of these specimens and their chronological and biogeographical significances are established by comparison with other agriotheres in the Old World. The major features of the agriotherine radiation in Eurasia and Africa are defined.     

Liste préliminaire des abeilles de Guadeloupe (Petites Antilles) et leurs relations avec la flore butinée (Hymenoptera : Apoidea,Megachilidae et Apidae)

An annotated checklist of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) is compiled for Guadeloupe, an island located in the Lesser Antilles of the eastern Caribbean. The list has seventeen species, including three exotic species to the Caribbean, two apparently endemic of Guadeloupe, six species only known from the Caribbean and five species that occur both on the mainland and the Caribbean. The list is created using data from literature and from our own field researches, carried out between 2011 and 2013. A list of visited flowers, along with ecological notes for each species is also given.     

Biogéographie et systématique des abeilles rubicoles du genre Ceratina Latreille au Turkestan (Hymenoptera,Apoidea, Xylocopinae)

Les affinités fauniques et la délimitation même du Turkestan en tant qu’entité biogéographique sont mal connues ou controversées. Elles sont discutées ici dans le cadre d’une révision systématique des espèces d’abeilles rubicoles du genre Ceratina. Onze espèces, dont une nouvelle: Ceratina (Euceratina) haladai n. sp., y sont répertoriées. Trois espèces sont redécrites et une clé d’identification est proposée. Toutes ces espèces sont soit présentes dans la région ouest-paléarctique, soit de proches parentes d’espèces méditerranéennes. Aucune espèce ne présente d’affinités notables avec les taxons orientaux ou est-paléarctiques. La carte de distribution de chaque espèce est établie et comparée à la distribution des biomes régionaux. Comme elles sont très largement polylectiques, les plantes butinées ne constituent probablement pas un facteur limitant de leur distribution. A l’inverse, leur nidification rubicole les cantonne à des biotopes riches en ronces (Rubus species) ou en autres plantes à tiges creuses ou médullaires (par ex. Verbascum species). Ceci explique leur implantation plutôt synanthrope en montagne et le long des fleuves.     

Phylogénie,biogéographie et choix floraux des abeilles oligolectiques du genre Dasypoda Latreille 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Melittidae)

La phylogénie des Melittidae fait encore l’objet de discussions. En particulier, il n’est pas encore établi que la famille soit monophylétique. La présente étude a pour premier but d’établir la monophylie et la classification subgénérique phylogénétique de l’un des 14 genres de Melittidae: le genre Dasypoda Latreille 1802. L’étude cladistique basée sur des caractères morphologiques des imagos confirme la monophylie des Dasypoda au sein des Dasypodainae. Quatre sous-genres sont reconnus et décrits: Microdasypoda n. subg., Heterodasypoda n. subg., Dasypoda n. comb. et Megadasypoda n. subg. Les cartes de richesse spécifique de ces sous-genres semblent indiquer une cohérence biogéographique avec le clade basé sur la morphologie. Les centres de diversité respectifs trouvent leur meilleure explication dans le rapprochement avec d’anciens refuges glaciaires méditerranéens. Létude des choix floraux renforce aussi l’option taxonomique proposée. Chaque sous-genre pollinise préférentiellement des familles végétales particulières (Asteraceae, Cistaceae, Dipsacaceae ou Malvaceae). Ces nouvelles données permettent de proposer une hypothèse sur l’origine géographique et la période d’apparition des Dasypoda.     

Comportement de butinage des abeilles (Hymenoptera : Apoidea) sur les fleurs mâles et femelles du concombre (Cucumis sativus L.) (Cucurbitaceae) en région de Constantine (Algérie)

Les insectes butineurs de Cucumis sativus L. (Cucurbitaceae) ont été étudiés durant les floraisons de 2001 et de 2002 dans la région de Constantine (est algérien). Les observations ont montré que la majorité des visiteurs de la plante sont des hyménoptères apoïdes. Apis mellifera L., Ceratina cucurbitina Rossi, Megachile leachella Curtis et M. pilidens Alfken sont les espèces les plus fréquentes sur les fleurs. Les proportions de visites des abeilles sont plus élevées sur les fleurs staminées que sur les fleurs pistilées. En moyenne, les quatre espèces ont visité entre 6 et 8 fleurs par minute et leurs durées de visite sur les fleurs pistilées sont significativement plus lentes en comparaison avec les fleurs staminées.     

Les Crustacés décapodes du Messinien récifal d'Oranie (Algérie)

The Messinian coral reefs of Oranie (western Algeria) often contain determinable remnants of decapods (carapaces, chelae). Six species are mentioned, all of them for the first time from the Upper Miocene of Algeria. Further, a new species (Lachnopodus murdjadjensis) is proposed. This decapod association seems to be a characteristic reefdwelling one. Its affinities are discussed.     

Liste préliminaire des Abeilles de Saint-Barthélemy (Antilles françaises) et leurs relations avec la flore butinée (Hymenoptera : Apoidea : Megachilidae,Apidae).

Summary. Preliminary checklist of bees from St. Barthelemy (French West Indies) and their relations with visited flowers (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae, Apidae). An annotated checklist of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), excluding Halictidae, is compiled for St Barthelemy, an island located in the Lesser Antilles of the eastern Caribbean. The list has eight species, including three exotic species to the Caribbean, four others known only from the Caribbean and three that occur both on mainland and the West Indies. The list is constituted with data from literature and from our field researches carried out by Karl Questel between 2006 and 2013. A list of visited flowers, along with ecological notes for each species is also given.     

Alcide d’Orbigny,un précurseur dans l’étude de la faune du Danien du bassin de Paris

One of the major contributions of Alcide d’Orbigny to palaeontology is his work on the Danian of the Paris Basin. The Danian material includes well-preserved external imprints of Invertebrates. By making casting of these imprints, Alcide d’Orbigny inaugurated an original technique, which enabled him to describe more than 40 species. The question of the age of the Danian localities has long been debated since that time. It was settled once and for all in the seventies by micropalaeontologists.     

Le site acheuléen d’Erg Tihodaïne : caractéristiques technologiques de l’industrie lithique du Pléistocène moyen (Sahara central,Algérie)

For more than a century, the Acheulian site of Erg Tihodaïne has been the subject of several research works that yielded an abundant lithic material from surface and from the morphostratigraphic unit related to the Middle Pleistocene. Despite the importance of the lithic industry, no overall technological analysis has been conducted so far. In this article, we provide the characteristics of a strategy of lithic production through technological analysis of three series, in an attempt to identify key technical behavior of the Acheulian hominids settled on the former lakeshore of Erg Tihodaïne.     

Etude de la respiration, à l’état isolé, des haplotypes de l’abeille tunisienne Apis mellifera intermissa (Buttel Reepen 1906) (Hymenoptera : Apidae)

L’étude de la respiration de l’abeille domestique, Apis mellifera intermissa, à l’état isolé a été réalisée sur les quatre haplotypes existant en Tunisie : A1, A4, A8 et A9 et sous différentes températures : 0°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30° et 35°C. Des mesures effectuées sur 1000 abeilles isolées (250 de chaque haplotype) ont montré que la consommation d’oxygène de l’abeille varie en fonction de la température. L’intensité respiratoire des haplotypes augmente progressivement à partir de 0°C pour atteindre son maximum à 15°C. Au-delà de cette température, la consommation d’oxygène de l’abeille diminue progressivement. Pour les basses températures (0° et 10°C), la respiration de l’abeille dépend aussi du facteur génétique et la consommation d’oxygène est faible mais ne s’annule pas. Cette étude a montré qu’il existe une différence de consommation d’oxygène entre les haplotypes A1 et A8 et les haplotypes A4 et A9 pour les basses températures. Le déclenchement de la thermogenèse chez les haplotypes A1 et A8 se produit à 15°C, alors que chez les haplotypes A4 et A9, il a lieu à une température plus basse et qui est de 10°C.     

Les Pachyerymnoceras (Pachyceratidés,Périsphinctacés,Ammonites) du Callovien moyen et supérieur de la région de Saida (Algérie occidentale). Origine phylétique et biogéographie des Pachyceratidés

The genus Pachyerymnoceras, with four new species,is described for the first time in Western Algeria. The genus first appears in the Middle Callovia (Coronatum Zone) as in Saudi Arabia. It is represented in the Saida region by uncommon P. praecox nov. sp. followed during the Upper Callovian (Athleta Zone) by specimens belonging to P. flamandi sp. nov., P. kmerense nov. sp. and P. saidense nov. sp. Every species is represented by a dimorphic pair.Pachyceratidae are put into Perisphinctaceae. If Pachyerymnoceras arises from Erymnoceras, a genus suddenly appearing during the Middle Callovian on northern and southern Tethyan borders, the origin of Erymnoceras is still unknown. Three phylogenetic hypothesis are considered here. Erymnoceras may have evolved during Lower Callovian: 1) from serpenticonic Tethyan Pseudoperisphinctinae like Choffatia (Subgrossouvria); 2) from Tulitids via ellipticoncic Bullatimorphites (Kheraiceras); 3) through a double lineage arisen in Subboreal and Tethyan platyconic Proplanulitids.Pachyceratids have a wide paleobiogeographic distribution in NW Europe and on the Tethyan margins. The genus Pachyerymnoceras evolves in Ethiopian Province of the Tethyan Realm. Some species migrate into Indo-Malagasian Province and others, through the south Tethyan border came to Europe were they are found restricted to Upper Callovian (Athleta and Lamberti Zones). Therefore this migration has a duration of two or even three zones.     

Prise en charge de l’infécondité dans les troubles de l’éjaculation: avis conjoints de l’andrologue, du biologiste et du gynécologue

It is estimated that eighty percent of men who present ejaculatory disorders would like to procreate but only 5–10% from them can do it. Ejaculation can be achieved by assisted-techniques used in association with pharmacological treatment. In cases of failure of ejaculation and azoospermia, epididymal and testicular chirurgical sperm extraction allows obtaining spermatozoa. Less numerous than those obtained in ejaculated sperm, these chirurgical spermatozoa offer the advantage to be not infected by bacteria and by seminal plasma. The quality of sperm is evaluated by conventional spermiologic methods and it is important to analyze presence of spermatozoa in the urine together with that in ejaculated sperm. In ejaculatory disorders, the quality of sperm is often impaired and the mobility and vitality of spermatozoa are abnormal. Numerous bacteria and leucocytes are also present. These changes seem to be related to many factors located in the seminal plasma rather than central and testicular damages. As in fertile and infertile man, cryopreservation causes a decrease in conventional variables. However, taking into account the difficulty to obtain sperm, all patients with ejaculatory disorders would benefit from semen cryopreservation. In order to achieved successful pregnancy, several fertility treatment are available: home insemination with semen obtained by vibroejaculation, intrauterine insemination, in vitro fecondation, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Counselling couples undergoing such treatment program needs coordinated efforts of different specialities, which may involve andrology, biology and gynaecology.     

Les prélèvements testiculaires dans les azoospermies sécrétoires: le point de vue du Biologiste de la Reproduction sur la lecture du prélèvement

The prognosis of severe male sterility (nonobstructive azoospermia) has considerably improved over recent years with the introduction of ICSI. The human reproduction biologist actively collaborates with the surgeon in the search for and extraction of sperm from testicular tissue (TESE). The presence of the biologist during surgery is mandatory to guide exploration and to avoid an excessive number of biopsies. Sperm extraction is performed in the laboratory by mechanical extraction with fine forceps. Enzymatic extraction with collagenase IV can be used in cases of nonobstructive azoospermia to optimize tissue dispersion and to improve retrieval of mature cells. The use of only one fraction (50%) of Pure Sperm (JC Diffusion, Lyon France) limits the loss of spermatozoa. to optimize the results in cases of akinesia, it may be useful to induce sperm motility by pentoxifylline or perform in vitro culture for three days. Sperm cryopreservation is compulsory in the case of nonobstructive azoospermia. This allows programming of TESE for a different time from that of ICSI. All results obtained with cryopreserved testicular sperm, in recent years, are encouraging. It is also recommended to freeze several small fractions of sperm in order to limit the number of surgical procedures on the testicle. This article presents the results of our experience in 36 cases of nonobstructive azoospermia. Extraction was negative in 13 cases (36%), similar to the rate reported in the literature.     

Nouvelles données sur l’évolution paléoclimatique de l’époque magdalénienne,d’après l’étude lithostratigraphique du Roc-aux-Sorciers (Angles-sur-l’Anglin,Vienne, France)

Situated a few kilometres from Angles-sur-Anglin (Vienne, France), the Roc-aux-Sorciers cave has yielded in 1927 and 1950 industry of the Middle and Upper Magdalenian periods. Our analyses of the sedimentary filling, dated from isotope stage 2, demonstrate the existence of two climatic sequences in the six ensembles defined during the excavations. A first sequence, at the base of the cave filling, corresponds to the occupation levels of the Middle Magdalenian and of the early Upper Magdalenian. At that time, the climate was globally cold and particularly humid, a conclusion that does not support Bastin's 1975 hypothesis on the oscillation of Angles-sur-Anglin, which postulates a mild and humid climate. In fact, the climate evolved progressively towards a slight warming from the base to the top of the stratigraphy. During the second sequence, corresponding to the occupation period of the Upper Magdalenian, the relatively stable climate was slightly warmer and quite humid. Stratigraphical and sedimentological data thus provide new information on the conditions under which the filling was deposited and on the palaeoclimatology of the Poitou-Charentes region during Magdalenian occupation.     

Le Campanien-Maastrichtien du bassin des Aurès,Algérie : biostratigraphie,paléoenvironnements et leurs implications

An integrated study of the lithological, micropaleontoligical, sedimentological and statistical data has been done on samples taken from four geological sections (El Gaaga, Tighanimine and El Kantara) spread in different sea areas. This allowed to redefine the stratigraphy of the studied area to provide information about the benefits of some kinds of foraminifera, planktonic and ostracods in knowing the palaeoenvironment and identifying the types referring to the latter during the late cretaceous. The late creataceous appeared in Aures in a form of two hills separated by a light lowness. This morphology corresponds generally to the tripartite composition of the Campanian-Manstrichtian with lower member of limestone-marl (Haraoua Member), a median marl member (Akhdar Member) and an upper member of massive limestones (Ncham member). The regularity of this trilogy changed in the anticline of Dj. El Azereg through a reduction, visibly affecting the tree members. The study of the foraminifera in the late cretaceous (Campanian-Manstrichtian) in the Aures proved the existence of 141 species (48 planktonic and 93 benthic foraminifera). Applying the concepts of biostratigraphy mainly on the foraminifera allowed to distinguish different bizones, ranging from lower Campanian of El Gaaga and El Kantara cuts (Globotruncanita elevata biozone) and Maastrichtian (Contusotruncana contusa biozone). The biostratigraphical framework is thus relatively precise and helps precising for instance the position of some inconsistent boundaries.