Taxonomic Investigations of Freshwater Cyanobacterial Flora in Benghazi with Newly Documented Species from Libya

A comprehensive survey of 400 freshwater samples was performed in and around Benghazi, Libya, for taxonomic study of Cyanobacteria at the species level. Samples were collected from different water sites and resources: ponds, rain ponds, sewage ponds, artificial lakes, manmade reservoirs, water tanks, wet soils, and wet walls. During the period between February 2023 and January 2025, samples were randomly collected and preserved by 4% formalin. A total of 55 species belonging to 31 genera, 17 families, and 10 orders of cyanobacteria were recorded, and 44 species are newly reported in Libya. The documentation of 44 species newly reported in Libya significantly expands the known cyanobacterial flora of the country and emphasizes the importance of continued taxonomic exploration in understudied regions. These findings not only contribute valuable data to the field of microbial taxonomy but also provide a foundation for future ecological and biotechnological research involving cyanobacteria in Libya more broadly.