Systematic inventory of the colopterological population of the rice plants of Gharb (Morocco)

Abstract

Due to favorable climatic and soil conditions, Moroccan rice cultivation is practiced entirety in the lowest region of the Gharb plain. The systematic study of the colopterological group at ten stations covering all the rice fields during 2015 and 2016 rice periods revealed a great diversity in comparison with other similar environments. The 39 species were sampled belonging to 12 families with a predominance of predation species. The biogeographically analysis of this entomofauna reveals prevalence of the Mediterranean species which has relation with the location of the Gharb plain in protected area from Saharan influence. Finally, the biotypological study of this colopterological group during the two cycle's season's highlights the individualization of three groups of species organized in a continuum around the two level factorial of PCA: species with summer, fall development and species which sampled throughout the rice growing season.