Taxonomic Assessment and New Reports of Freshwater Chlorophyta and Charophyta algae from Benghazi, Libya

A comprehensive survey of 400 freshwater samples was performed in and around Benghazi, Libya, for taxonomic study of Chlorophyta and Charophyta 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 from February 2023 to January 2025, samples were randomly collected and preserved by 4% formalin. A total of 66 species belonging to 43 genera, 21 families, and 7 orders of Chlorophyta were recorded, and 54 species are newly reported in Libya. A total of 14 species belonging to 8 genera, 6 families, and 4 orders of Charophyta were recorded, and 12 species are newly reported in Libya. These findings underscore the rich and previously underexplored diversity of Chlorophyta and Charophyta in Benghazi and Libya