Chironomidae (Diptera: Insecta) of Temporary Salt Lakes in the Eastern Hauts Plateaux of Algeria

From November 2010 to June 2012 chironomid fauna was collected from 11 wetlands in the eastern Hauts plateaux of Algeria. These
wetlands, called chotts or sebkhas or saltlakes, are characterised by their high conductivity, except Garâet Timerganine which is
characterized by its freshwater. A total number of 30 Chironomid taxa, mainly identified to specific level, have been recorded. In these
waterbodies, the Chironomidae fauna is represented by three subfamilies. The Chironominae with 14 taxa, Orthocladiinae with 9 taxa and Tanypodinae with 7 taxa. The numerically dominant species were Cricotopus ornatus, Cricotopus sylvestris, Chironomus plumosus and Microchironomus tener. The low values of chironomid species number compared with other investigated standing waters in Algeria is probably due to limiting factors such as: food depletion, unfavourable sediment conditions and predation by damselflies and waterbirds.