Abstract
A survey of the aquatic and semi-aquatic insect fauna of a semi-tropical, arid zone oasis on the western Dead Sea coast, was conducted primarily in the summer and winter seasons of 1980/81. A table is given of the aquatic entomofauna, including their zoogeographical affinities, Israeli distribution and presence in En Gedi and in each of the two canyons there. Zoogeographical analysis reveals a predominance of tropical and arid African affinity (Ethiopian = 31%, Saharo-Arabian = 19%), with a major affinity also to the Mediterranean (21%). The entomofaunal community was divided among seven ecological biotopes: fast or slow flowing streams and pools; eddies; bedrock or deep pools; standing or stagnant pools. A community analysis table of the occurrence of the major faunal elements in each of seven biotopes is presented. Some rather stenotopic taxa were indicative of biotopes. A comparison is made of summer and winter seasonality including the effects of flash floods and the relation of these phenomena to emigration/imigration and life cycles of the entomofauna. The effects of agriculture and tourism are discussed and proposals made for conservation of the biotope communities. These biotopes and their entomofaunal communities are presumed to represent most of the habitats of Middle East arid zone springs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Botosaneanu, L. & Gasith, A., 1971. Contributions taxonomiques et ecologiques a la connaissance des Trichopteres (Insecta). Israel J. Zool. 20: 89–129.
Braverman, Y., Boorman, J., Kremer, M. & Delecolle, J-C., 1976. Faunistic list of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from Israel. Cah. O.R.S.T.O.M., sér. Ent. med. parasit. 14: 179–185.
Braverman, Y., Delecolle, J. C., Frish, K., Rubina, M. & Kremer, M., 1981. New records of Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from Golan Heights, Israel, and Sinai Peninsula. Israel J. Ent. 15: 13–20.
Bodenheimer, F. S., 1935a. Animal life in Palestine. Jerusalem. 506 pp.
Bodenheimer, F. S., 1935b. Zoogeography of the Sinai Peninsula. Acta Congr. int. Zool., Lisbon. p: 1138–1164.
Brown, E. S., 1951. Aquatic and semiaquatic Hemiptera. British Museum Expedition to Southwest Arabia, 1937–38. 1: 221–273.
Bytinski-Salz, H., 1961. The Ethiopian element in the insect fauna of Israel. Proc. XI int. Congr. Ent. Vienna. 1: 457–463.
Crosskey, R. W., 1967. A preliminary revision of the black-flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) of the Middle East. Trans. r. Ent. Soc. Lond. 119: 1–45.
Dalinsky, J. & Priesmant, E., 1973. Water source potential of En Gedi Area. Tahal, Tel Aviv.
Freidberg, A., 1981. Life in the Dead Sea. Israel J. Ent. 15: 101–102.
Furth, D. G., 1975. Israel, a great biogeographic crossroads. Discovery 11: 2–13.
Furth, D. G., 1977. The Huleh and its lost aquatic leaf beetle. Atala 4: 4–9.
Furth, D. G., 1979. Zoogeography and host plant ecology of the Alticinae of Israel, especially Phyllotreta; with descriptions of three new species (Coleptera: Chrysomelidae). Israel J. Zool. 28: 1–37.
Furth, D. G., 1980. Zoogeography and host plants of Longitarsus in Israel, with descriptions of six new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Israel J. Ent. 13: 79–124.
Gasith, A., 1969. Trichoptera of Israel. M.Sc. Thesis, Tel Aviv Univ.
Hoberlandt, L., 1951. Hemiptera-Heteroptera collected by Mr. J. Houska in Israel. Sb. ent. Odd. nár Mus. Prase 27: 5–34.
Lindner, E., 1974. On the Stratiomyidae (Diptera) of the Near East. Israel J. Ent. 9: 93–108.
Lindner, E., 1975. On some Stratiomyidae (Diptera) from the Near East. Israel J. Ent. 10: 41–49.
Lindner, E. & Freidberg, A., (1978) 1979. New records of Stratiomyidae (Diptera) from the Near East with a key to the species of Israel, Sinai, and the Golan. Israel J. Ent. 12: 51–64.
Linnavuori, R., 1960. Hemiptera of Israel, 1. Ann. zool. Soc. zool. bot. fenn. Vanamo 22: 1–71.
Linnavuori, R., 1964. Hemiptera of Egypt, with remarks on some species of the adjacent Eremian region. Ann. zool. fenn. 1: 306–356.
Margalit, J. & Avrahami, M., 1973. Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) breeding in the Dead Sea Area. Israel J. Zool. 22: 27–37.
Margalit, J. & Tahori, A., 1973. The mosquito fauna of Sinai. J. med. Ent. 10: 89–96.
Margalit, J. & Tahori, A., 1974. An annotated list of the mosquitoes in Israel. Israel J. Ent. 9: 77–91.
Morton, K. S., 1924. The Dragonflies of Palestine, based primarily on collections made by Dr. P. A. Buxton. Trans. r. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1/2: 25–44.
Ortal, R. & Por, D., 1978. Effect of hydrological changes on aquatic communities in the Lower Jordan River. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 20: 1543–1551.
Samocha, T., 1974. The Ephemeroptera of Israel. M.Sc. Thesis, Tel Aviv Univ.
Sowa, R., 1975. What is Cloeon dipterum (Linnaeus, 1761)? Ent. Scand. 6: 215–223.
Zohary, M., 1962. Plant Life of Palestine. Ronald Press Co., N.Y. 262 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Furth, D.G. Aquatic entomofauna of a Dead Sea oasis. Hydrobiologia 102, 3–25 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006044
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006044