Journal of Biological Sciences1727-30481812-5719Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jbs.2007.1130.1138Oi EdiaEdia BrosseSebastien OuattaraAllassane GoureneGermain WintertonPeter Lek-AngSithan 7200777We analysed aquatic insect richness and assemblage patterns in four coastal rivers of southeast Ivory Coast. In each river, two sites were sampled: one upstream and one downstream. In the eight sites, aquatic insects were randomly sampled eight times (i.e., four during the rainy season and four during the dry season) between July 2003 and March 2005. Overall, 124 taxa belonging to 53 families and ten orders were recorded. The richest taxon diversity was observed for Diptera and Ephemeroptera. The settlement of aquatic insects presented strong similarity between sites. In addition, beta diversity assessment showed that the dispersal of aquatic insects was random (Mantel tests, p >0.05) i.e., their taxonomic composition was homogeneous over the area covered by the four rivers, suggesting that they belong to the same ecoregion. So, as these rivers are subject to little anthropogenic disturbance compared to other streams in the same region, we suggest using them as reference systems with a view to initiating conservation and/or biomonitoring programs.]]>Armitage, P.D., D. Moss, J.F. Wright and M.T. Furse,198317333347Blackburn, T.M. and K.J. Gaston,199677146152Clarke, R.T., M.T. Furse, R.J.M. Gunn, J.M. Winder and J.F. Wright,20024717351751Dallas, H.F.,20002000Dejoux, C., J.M. Elouard, P. Forge and J.L. Maslin,19811981De Moor, I.J., J.A. Day and F.C. De Moor,20032003Dietoa, Y.M.,2002Brycinus (Characidae) en milieux fluviatiles et lacustre (Bassins Bia et Agneby; Ivory Coast). [Entomofauna and feeding strategies of fishes from genus Brycinus (Characidae) in fluviatile and lacustrine systems (Bia and Agneby Basins; Ivory Coast)].]]>2002Diomande, D., G. Gourene, Y. Sankare and S.G. Zabi,200017131Diomande, D.,2001Synodontis bastiani Daget, 1948 et S. schall (Bloch and Scheneider, 1801) en milieu fluvio-lacustre (Bassins Bia et Agnebi, Ivory Coast). [Benthic macrofauna and feeding stratigies of Synodontis bastiani Daget, 1948 and S. schall (Bloch and Scheneider, 1801) (Bia and Agneby Basins; Ivory Coast)].]]>2001Fortin, M.J. and J. Gurevitch,19931993pp: 342-359pp: 342-359Harrisson, S., S.J. Ross and J.H. Lawton,199261151158Ihaka, R. and R. Gentleman,19965299314Matthaei, C.D., K.A. Peacock and C.R. Townsend,19994410911102Meffe, G.K. and C.R. Carroll,19982nd Edn.,Ramade, F.,20022nd Edn.,Robson, B.J. and C.J. Clay,200515403414Rosenberg, D.M. and V.H. Resh,1993Sankare, Y.,1991Pistia stratiotes L. (Aracecae) from man-made lake Ayame II and from Comoe River (Ivory Coast).]]>1131138Sites, R.W., M.R. Willig and M.J. Linit,200335226239Soderstrom, O.,1987111197208Tachet, H., P. Richoux, M. Bourneau and P. Usseglio-Polatera,20032003Townsend, C.R., M.R. Scarsbook and S. Doledec,199742938949Whittaker, R.H.,197221213251Williams, D.D. and B.W. Feltmate,1992Williams, D.D. and M.R. Smith,199636237248Williams, P., M. Whitfield, J. Biggs, S. Bray, G. Fox, P. Nicolet and D. Sear,2004115329341Wilson, M.V. and A. Shmida,19847210551064Wright, I.A., B.C. Chessman, P.G. Fairweather and L.J. Benson,199520142149Yameogo, L., V.H. Resh and D.H. Molyneux,20041172183