www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org DIET OF EURYPARYPHES (ORTHOPTERA, PAMPHAGIDAE) IN ARID REGION OF DJELFA (ALGERIA) SAAD BENMADANI 1 , GUERZOU AHLEM 1 , BAHIA DOUMANDJI-MITICHE 2 & SALAHEDDINE DOUMANDJI 2 1 Department of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Djelfa, Djelfa, Algeria 2 Agronomical Upper National School, El-Harrah(Algiers), Algeria ABSTRACT The present work is carried out in two stations of Fied el Borma and of Moudjebara located at Djelfa, at 300 km distance from Algiers south. The aim is to study diet of two Orthopteras species those Euryparyphes sitifensis (Brisout, 1854) and E.quadridentatus (Brisout 1852)). This study showed that in the station of Fied el Borma, total richness of consumed vegetable species is of 5 species for males’ d’Euryparyphes sitifensis and 7 vegetable species are noted in females’ faeces. Concerning station of Moudjebara, total richness in consumed vegetable species, is of 5 for either males and females. In terms of species, in Fied el Borma, most important consumed vegetable surfaces are noted for Plantago albicans with consumption rate of (56.75%) for males and (50.23%) for females. Higher relative frequencies in females’ faeces show that Plantago albicans and Eruca vesicaria present a strong value reaching 83.3%. Relating to males, those frequencies reach until 75% regarding Plantago albicans and 50% to Eruca vesicaria. Whereas in Moudjebara, Plantago albicans is the most appreciated with consumption rate of 43.8% for males and 68.0% for females. Higher relative frequencies in males’ faeces are attributed to Plantago albicans(Rf. % = 78, 6 %), followed by Koeleria pubescens (Rf. %= 35.7 %). KEYWORDS: Euryparyphes quadridentatus, Euryparyphes sitifensis, Diet, Djelfa, Algeria INTRODUCTION Every year, locusts cause important damages to cultivation. Regarding importance of those damages in Algeria, orthopterologic fauna needs too much biology works, mainly diet’s study in order to understand the appropriate conflict. Vegetation knowledge as habitat structure and as foods is preliminary to any understanding of distribution and of dynamic of locusts’ populations(KHERBOUCHE 2006). BENHALIMA(1983), describes combination plant-locust as habitat indicator and of locust’s specie distribution. For the purposes of this study we have considered to lead our work in region of Fied El Botma and Moudjebara. MATERIALS AND METHODS Region of Djelfa is located near of one of largest hot deserts, and mountainous reliefs of saharian Atlas. Station of Fied El Botma is located at altitude of 1063 m and with geographic coordinates N 34° 31’ 46’’ E 03° 46’ 55”. Global covering rate of the ground is of 40.01%, This is an esparto steppe (Stipa tenacissima) characterized by vegetable cover generally clear and with reduced size, ground not too much deep lying on calcareous crust and region of Moudjebara is located at altitude of 1.214 m with geographic coordinates N 34° 37’ 58’’ E 03° 19’ 39’’.Global covering rate of the International Journal of Botany and Research (IJBR) ISSN(P): 2277-4815; ISSN(E): 2319-4456 Vol. 4, Issue 4, Aug 2014, 11-16 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.