Today Chopard’s 1943, “les Orthoptéroides d’Afrique du Nord", is still the reference book to work on Algerian Ensifera. 49 cricket (Grylloidea) species (16 genera) and 46 katydid and bushcricket (Tettigonioidea, Tettigoniidae) species (21 genera) were then mentioned, in addition to Lezina peyerimhoffi Chopard, 1929 (Stenopelmatidae). Since that time, no recent synthesis has been proposed for Algerian Ensifera, while their taxonomy changed deeply and new species have been described. In the present paper, we propose a reviewed list of Ensifera species from Algeria. All the species mentioned by Chopard (1943) and posterior authors, or collected during our own field work, are mentioned, including new species, i.e. 118 species or subspecies. The geographic localities where these species have been found are given, together with their geographic coordinates, bioclimatic stages and biogeographic zones. These data are used to discuss the diversity and geographic distribution of ensiferan communities in Algeria.

The diet of a colony of the House Martin Delichon urbica (Linnaeus, 1758), a breeding migratory species in Algeria, was studied from March to July 2004 in the city of Tizi Ouzou, Kabylia region, east of Algiers. It was mainly based on insects, which represented 99.6% of the 3746 food items recovered from 50 faeces. Most preys were winged insects. 178 taxa were identified at different levels, from order to species. Arachnida and Gastropoda were only occasionally captured and hence slightly represented. Hymenoptera dominated (77.6% of individual insects, 97.04% being ants), followed by Coleoptera (15.65%) and Heteroptera (4.99%). Other orders were few in terms of prey. They seemed to be captured only when the House Martin got an opportunity to do so. This study showed monthly variations among the species consumed, indicating a high level of plasticity in the diet. These variations correspond to the local availability and phenology of prey. Most preys are mainly small-sized. The preys of size estimated between 2 and 5 mm found in the fecal bags reflect that of Formicidae consumed by Delichon urbica such as Tetramorium biskrensis, Monomorium salomonis, Tapinoma nigerimum and Plagiolepis barbara. In Kabylia, as elsewhere, the House Martin appears to be an opportunist feeder which, when preys are abundant, selects those that best fit their nutritional requirements, but which can use others and becomes more eclectic when food becomes scarce.