Zoogeographical analysis of the hoverfly fauna (Diptera, Syrphidae) of the northwestern Caucasus

The hoverfly fauna of the northwestern Caucasus comprises 257 species of 72 genera. They possess 32 types of ranges that could be united into 11 groups of ranges. Widespread species from the basis of the hoverfly fauna in the region: species with narrower ranges, those distributed in more than one zoogeographical region, and those distributed in more than one dominion, constitute 12.9%, 63.1%, and 24% of the fauna, respectively. The hoverfly fauna of the northwestern Caucasus is composed of nemoral species common for Europe and Mediterranean basin, and also by species widespread in the Palaearctic (92.9%). Autochthomous species constitute 5.5%, and species of the eastern Palaearctic origin, 1.6%. Hoverfly species with zoophagous larvae are the most widespread. The fraction of such species is low among species with narrowly local ranges (12.5%) and high among species with ranges including more than one dominion. Phytophagous species are wider represented among hoverflies with narrowly local ranges (44.7%) than among flies with interdominion ranges (8%). Ranges of dendrobiontic saprophagous species are determined by the presence of arboreal vegetation and no widespread polytopic hoverflies are found in this group. The distribution of mycetophagous species, commensals, and terrestrial saprophagous species is determined by the presence of fungi, ranges of some hymenopterans, and the presence of decaying plant remnants.     

A faunistic review of carabids (Coleoptera,Carabidae) of the Barguzin Mt. Range (Northern Baikal Area)

The list of carabids from the Barguzin Mt. Range includes 132 species belonging to 29 genera of 17 tribes. Five new species endemic or subendemic to the Barguzin Mt. Range have been discovered. The carabid fauna of the Northern Baikal Area has a high percentage of species with wide distribution in the Palaearctic. The bulk of the fauna consists of species with Circumholarctic, Transpalaearctic, Euro-Siberian, Siberian, and Asian-American ranges. Sayano-Baikalian, Southern Siberian, Baikalian, and Transbaikalian species with local distribution are less numerous than the Mongolian, Kazakhstan, Amur, and Okhotian species. Lake Baikal and mountain ranges framing it form a meridional barrier for the distribution of some species.     

Host associations and origin in the formation of the Caucasian fauna of fleas (Siphonaptera)

Results of analysis of the Caucasian fauna of fleas and their association with mammal and avian hosts are reported. The Caucasian fauna of potential flea hosts comprises about 130 species of mammals and about 470 species of birds. Most of the flea species in the Caucasian fauna (88 out of 155) parasitize rodents, 51 species of which are permanent hosts of different flea species; 13 flea species occur on 11 species of insectivores; 13 flea species, on 13 species of chiropterans; 14 flea species, on 20 species of carnivores. Only 2 flea species parasitize artiodactyles. 54 species of birds are permanent hosts of 23 species of fleas from 4 genera in the Caucasus. Ten types of ranges of flea species are distinguished; host associations of the Caucasian flea species from these groups are discussed. The greatest numbers of hosts from the families Cricetidae, Muridae, and Sciuridae are associated with fleas with Euro-Asian (extra-Siberian), European, Turanian, and Iranian ranges. Soricidae are known as hosts of flea species with European and Euro-Turanian ranges. Four major groups of flea taxa are represented in the Caucasian fauna. The distribution of the first group is determined by the influence of the palaeofauna of the ancient European continent in the early Cenozoic; that of the second group, by the influence of the fauna of the ancient Asian continent during the Paleogene and part of the Neogene; the third, by the influence of the fauna of southern Europe starting with the Miocene. The fourth group comprises the species which immigrated from northern Europe and Asia in the Late Neogene (2–3 mln years ago).     

Distribution patterns of dragonflies (Odonata) in Central Asia

The dragonfly fauna of Central Asia reveals distinct vertical differentiation. Three groups of species can be distinguished: mountain (24 species), plain (18), and plain-mountain (34) ones. The ranges observed can be classified into 7 principal types: plain, mountain, continuous boreo-montane, disjunctive Central Asian boreomontane, disjunctive Tien Shan boreo-montane, Central Asian, and Pamir-Alay plain-mountain. The leading factors determining the distribution of dragonflies are the temperature and the presence of streams suitable for preimaginal development; the former factor determines the potential ranges, and the latter, the actual ones. The present-day composition, structure, and vertical distribution of the dragonfly fauna formed during the historical time, after the development of artificial irrigation canals which provided new habitats for dragonflies.     

The springtail (Hexapoda,Collembola) fauna of Wrangel Island

Analysis of the collembolan fauna of Wrangel Island based on published data and recent sampling was performed. The species richness of springtails on the island (89 species from 41 genera and 12 families) exceeds the levels characteristic of most other insular territories of the Arctic Ocean, except for Greenland and some small islands located within the southern tundra belt. The specificity of the species composition of the springtail fauna on the island depends on a high proportion of species with amphi-Pacific ranges, reflecting its formation within the Beringian Arctic sector. At the same time, the structure of the springtail fauna of the island is rather similar to those of the known tundra faunas of the Siberian sector, with no anomalies being detected.     

The Palaearctic centers of taxonomic diversity of fleas (Siphonaptera)

The Palaearctic flea fauna includes 921 species and 479 subspecies from 96 genera of 10 families. Of them, 858 species (94%) from 43 genera are endemic to the Palaearctic; they comprise 40% of the Palaearctic Hystrichopsyllidae, 24% of Ceratophyllidae, and 20% of Leptopsyllidae. Ranges of 581 species (63% of the Palaearctic fauna) are situated within one province or subregion of the Palaearctic. Species with ranges including a part of Asia (592) comprise 87% of the total fauna; 72% of the species (517) are endemic to the Palaearctic. The largest centers of taxonomic diversity of Palaearctic fleas are situated in the East Asian, Central Asian, and Turano-Iranian Subregions: 320 species of fleas (214 of them endemic) from 59 genera (8 endemic) are known from the East Asian Subregion; 270 species (over 120 endemic) from 54 genera (5 endemic) are distributed in the Central Asian Subregion. The Turano-Iranian fauna comprises 213 species (103 endemic) from 47 genera (3 endemic); about 160 species occur in the Turanian Subprovince closest to the Russian borders, one-third of them (52 species, or 33%) are endemic; 69 species more are endemic to the entire Asian part of the Palaearctic. Extra-Asian and extra-Siberian ranges are known in 190 flea species. In the western Palaearctic, 76 species are endemic to the European Province, and 57 species, to the Mediterranean Province; 36 species have Euro-Mediterranean distribution. The fauna of the Saharo-Arabian Subregion comprises 30 species (12 endemic), 6 species have ranges of the Mediterranean-Saharo-Arabian type. Scenarios of the origin of the Siphonaptera at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary are hypothesized. Formation of the Palaearctic flea fauna was mostly supported by the Asian-Indo-Malayan and East Asian-Western American palaeofaunal centers of taxonomic diversity. The long history of faunal exchange between the east Palaearctic and the west Nearctic is manifested by the distribution of the parasites of rodents and insectivores, fleas of the genera Stenoponia, Rhadinopsylla, Nearctopsylla, and Catallagia, belonging to several subfamilies of the Hystrichopsyllidae, as well as members of a number of other flea families. A great number of endemic species in the genera Palaeopsylla and Ctenophthalmus (Hystrichopsyllidae), both in the European and Asian parts of the Palaearctic, can be explained by the junction of the European and Asian continental platforms in the late Cretaceous and their subsequent isolation during the Paleocene. A considerable contribution to the flea fauna in the Russian territory was made by the East Asian-Nearctic center of taxonomic diversity, with a smaller role of the European palaeofauna. Immigration of species of the family Pulicidae from the Afrotropical Region is restricted to the southern territories of Russia.     

On the origin of the recent fauna of butterflies (Lepidoptera,Rhopalocera) of Vietnam

The following types of ranges of the Vietnamese butterflies are considered: 1) narrow ranges of endemic taxa, 2) continuous and mosaic ranges, 3) disjunct ranges, and 4) vicariant ranges. The endemic butterfly taxa mostly concentrate in isolated mountain areas of central Vietnam and show relationships with the Sino- Himalayan, Malayan, and local Indo-Burmese faunas. The ranges of most Vietnamese butterflies, both eury- and stenobiont species, combine the traits of continuous and mosaic distribution. Disjunctions in the ranges of Vietnamese butterflies vary from dozens to thousands kilometers. Similar habitats in different parts of Vietnam may have different though allied butterfly species. The origin of the recent butterfly fauna is hypothesized.     

Analysis of the ways of formation of the entomofaunistic complexes in the Northwest Caucasus based on the material on coleopterous insects (Coleoptera)

By the example of 14 coleopterous insect families, namely Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Noteridae, Dytiscidae, Carabidae, Hydrophilidae, Staphylinidae, Lucanidae, Trogidae, Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, Alleculidae, Tenebrionidae, and Chrysomelidae, regularities and the basic sources of formation of the most typical landscapecoenotic complexes in the Northwest Caucasus are discussed. The total number of the species included in the material analyzed amounts to about 2000. The maximal species diversity (854 species) is registered for the deciduous forests and dry open woodlands. In total, 11 types of the chorological complexes and distributional ranges (chorotypes) of the regional beetle fauna are distinguished. Significant concordance of the chorologic patterns in some groups of beetles is established. In this respect, Carabidae and Tenebrionoidea seem to be the closest on the one hand, and also Elateridae and Scarabaeoidea, on the other. The zonal fauna of the Northwest Caucasus is formed basically by species possessing Boreal ranges, while the azonal fauna, predominantly by species with the Ancient Mediterranean ranges. Allocation of coleopterous insects within regional zoochorones is investigated as well. It is established, that in different zoochorones of the upland part of the region the majority of coenofaunas show significant similarity of the arealogical pattern, even though being composed frequently by different taxa. The fauna of agrarian landscapes of the Northwest Caucasus is also examined. It includes 382 beetle species. The overwhelming majority of them belongs to the ground beetles (229 species), leaf beetles (78), and Scarabaeoidea (30). This fauna reveals the maximal similarity with the coenofaunas of the lowland steppe and meadows. It is established that the major role in formation of the agrocenoses beetle fauna belongs to the natural plain and upland steppe and treeless fields, foothill broad-leaf forests and open woodlands, and also to the floodplain and lowland forests. The bulk of the species occurring in the agrocenoses possesses wide ranges, predominantly of the Boreal type. Some peculiarities of the regional endemism are discussed as well.     

Diagnosis of species by the larval phase in the genus Rhipicephalus Koch (Ixodidae) in USSR fauna

The key for identification of species of the genus Rhipicephalus (the fauna of the USSR) on the larval phase is based on the material reared under laboratory conditions. The structure of scutum, organs of gnathosoma and coxae, chaetotaxy of idiosoma and gnathosoma were used for differential diagnosis. In addition morphometric characteristics of the above structures and their proportions were used. A special attention has been given to coexistence of species in sympatric zones, which was revealed or confirmed as a result of identification of species of the genus on larva in the ranges of the fauna of the USSR.     

Systematics and distribution of horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Jordan.

The horse fly fauna of Jordan consists of 24 species belonging to seven genera. The present study adds two new records; Tabanus unifasciatus and Tabanus lunatus. Keys and illustrations for the horse flies of Jordan are presented based on examined materials. Distribution and geographic ranges for each species is also given.     

A Check-List of the Spiders (Araneae) of the Bolshekhekhtsyrski Nature Reserve, Khabarovsk Province, the Russian Far East

326 species of spiders belonging to 26 families are recorded from the Bolshekhekhtsyrski State Nature Reserve,of them 70 are new records for the reserve and six are new to the fauna of Russia:Asperthorax borealis Ono et Saito,2001; Cyclosa kumadai Tanikawa,1992; Cyclosa okumae Tanikawa,1992(earlier it was identified as C. argenteoalba Bosenberg et Strand,1906); Haplodrassus taepaikensis Paik,1992; Hypselistes fossilobus Fei et Zhu,1993; and Pachygnatha gaoi Zhu et al.,2003. The name Pronous minutus (S. Saito,1939) is synonymized with Pronoides brunneus Schenkel,1936. The male of H. taepaikensis is illustrated for the first time. Composition of the fauna is briefly discussed; 41% of the recorded species have their ranges confined to the SE Palaearctics. By its species diversity,the reserve's fauna is the second largest local fauna eastward of the Urals. An expected spider diversity of this reserve is likely to be over 400 species.     

Springtails (Hexapoda, Collembola) in karst landscapes of the Pinega State Reserve

The collembolan fauna of the Pinega State Reserve (Arkhangelsk Province) was examined. The study area is highly specific due to its karst topography. In all, 126 Collembola species were recorded in the reserve, a significant fraction of their diversity being restricted to karst habitats. Several species that had never been recorded in plain forest biotopes were of special interest. Such forms with distribution ranges mainly limited to the tundra zone comprised about 10% of the local fauna. Regarding the longitudinal sizes of the ranges, this group was not homogeneous and included both widespread circumpolar and east-Palaearctic (Siberian) species. Several arctoalpine forms were also recorded. Most of these arctic species were not numerous over the area studied and in general, the collembolan assemblages at the coldest sites of the reserve did not differ significantly from those typical of the forest zone, with the exception of two species, Desoria tshernovi and D. inupikella, which often predominated in the karst communities. The origin and appropriateness of the term relict for the revealed “insular” populations of arctic species are discussed.     

A review of the scarab beetle tribe Aphodiini (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae) of the fauna of Russia

An annotated list of 183 species of the dung-beetle tribe Aphodiini of the Russian fauna is given. The highest species diversity is characteristic of the southern mountainous regions of the country, the richest local faunas being known from the Lower Volga area. The greatest numbers of species are known from the steppe and broadleaved forest zones and from the nemoral types of altitudinal zonation of vegetation. The bulk of the fauna is formed by the species with wide ranges; 111 species occur in two or more landscape zones or altitudinal zonation types. Six groups of faunistically similar zoogeographic provinces are distinguished within the territory of Russia.     

Characteristic features of biodiversity in European ixodid ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) as vectors of diseses with natural foci

The diapason of some biodiversity characteristics of ixodid ticks of the fauna of Europe and adjacent territories is analyzed. These characteristics include taxonomic and morphological diversity, the diversity of life cycles, host-parasite relations, species ranges, and biotopic associations. The significance of different aspects of biodiversity of ixodid ticks as a prerequisite of interrelations with pathogens with natural foci is estimated.     

The helminth fauna of the shrew genus Sorex (Insectivora: Soricidae) in the Kandalksha nature reserve

The helminth fauna of shrews (Sores araneus, S. caecutiens, S. minutus, S. minutissimus) from the Karelian coast and islands of the Kandalaksha nature reserve was studied. 18 helminth species belonging to 3 taxonomic groups, Trematoda (3), Cestoda (8), and Nematoda (7) were found. The main body of the helminth fauna of shrews is represented by the nematodes species Longistriata codrus, L. didas, and the cestode species Ditestolepis diaphana. Inhabiting of shrews in the insular localities leads to the decrease of the species diversity and the abundance of their helminths. The distribution ranges of the shrew parasites have been outlined more accurately.     

The fauna of bloodsucking insects of Northwestern Russia. Characteristics of the ranges

The fauna of the Northwestern region of Russia comprises 285 species of bloodsucking insects. The number of species of mosquitoes and lice in the Northwest constitute 40% of the total numbers in the Russian fauna; that of the biting midges, 38%; horseflies, 35%; blackflies, 30%, and fleas, 19%. Representatives of 4 dipteran families of the “gnus” complex, and also lice and fleas of the Northwestern Russian fauna possess ranges of 12 types, most of which include large part of the Holarctic or Palaearctic; 57 species (20%) of the species have Holarctic ranges; 82 species, or 28%, trans-Palaearctic ranges; 49 species, or 17%, Western-Central Palaearctic ranges; and 73 species, or 25%, Western-Palaearctic ranges. The fraction of species (8) with other range types is 19%. A synopsis of the species groups characterized by these types of ranges is given. Species with ranges extending as far northwards as the tundra zone constitute 13%, those with ranges including the taiga zone, 60%, and those with other range types, 27% of the fauna.     

The zoogeographic composition of the insect fauna (Odonata,Coleoptera, Macrolepidoptera) in the raised bogs of the Belarusian Lakeland

The zoogeographic composition of insects in the raised bogs of the Belarusian Lakeland was investigated. The boundaries of this region coincide with those of the last glaciation and the distribution of raised bogs on the East European Plain. By the example of three model groups (Odonata, Coleoptera, and Macrolepidoptera) it was found that the insect fauna complexes in the bogs of the Belarusian Lakeland had a typical boreal pattern with prevalence of species with Euro-Siberian ranges, and also included large fractions of species with Circumboreal and Circum-Arctoboreal ranges. The environmental conditions of bogs in the temperate zone of Europe facilitate the southward expansion of many cold-adapted species.     

Contribution to the fauna of mollusk-eating marsh flies (Diptera,Sciomyzidae) of Yakutia

A total of 38 species belonging to 14 genera and 2 tribes of the family Sciomyzidae were recorded from Yakutia. Among these species, 23, 6, and 8 species were recorded from Yakutia, eastern Siberia, and Siberia, respectively, for the first time. The fauna of Central Yakutia, comprising 33 species, is examined best of all. The range diversity of investigated sciomyzids is classified into 13 types. Species with Holarctic and trans-Eurasian ranges constitute the largest groups comprising 12 species each. Colobaea punctata, Ilione albiseta, Pherbellia brunnipes, and Sepedon sphegea are very abundant. The species composition of the Yakut fauna noticeably differs from neighboring faunas of the Russian Far East, Mongolia, and Alaska, but the generic composition of these faunas is more similar. The Yakut fauna of the Sciomyzidae is intermediate between the fauna of Mongolia and the faunas of the Russian Far East and Alaska. The fraction of marsh flies in dipteran assemblages of meadow cenoses is usually small, but their abundance in some years grows significantly. The population density of marsh flies in the valleys of large rivers is higher in comparison with that found in isolated alas hollows in the plakors (= euclimatopes). Analysis of the trophic associations of the larvae of the Yakut sciomyzids has revealed 5 out of the 7 groups known in the family.     

Late Triassic (Late Norian) gastropods from the Wallowa Terrane (Idaho,USA)

A diverse Late Triassic (Late Norian) gastropod fauna is described from the Mission Creek Limestone of the Wallowa terrane (Idaho, USA). Sample standardization by rarefaction analysis indicates that the fauna is even more diverse than the Late Triassic gastropod fauna from the Pucara Formation (Peru) which represents the most diverse gastropod fauna from South America. The gastropod fauna consists of 66 species; several genera are reported for the first time from North America. A high percentage of the species are highly ornamented and several have distinct siphonal canals. This suggests that the appearance of truly Mesozoic elements among the gastropods began before the Mesozoic Marine Revolution in other clades. The fauna is dominated by high-spired strongly ornamented procerithiids, a group more characteristic for the Jurassic. Comparison of the present fauna and the Iranian Nayband Formation gastropod fauna show that the procerithiids underwent a first global radiation in the Late Triassic. The high number of new species in this fauna suggests that sampling of Late Triassic gastropod faunas is still incomplete and hinders palaeobiogeographic considerations. Previous suggesions that gastropod faunas from the Wallowa and Wrangellia terranes resemble each other and are distinct from those of Alexander, Chulitna, and Farewell terranes are basically corroborated. The gastropod fauna of the Mission Creek Limestone differs considerably from that of the western and central Tethys but shares several taxa with the Late Triassic gastropod fauna of the Pucara Formation in Peru. Thus, the Hispanic corridor was probably not present in the Norian but opened only in the Early Jurassic. The subfamily Andangulariinae is introduced and placed in the Zygopleuridae. The generaSpiniomphalus, Nodoconus, Gudrunella, Blodgettella, Idahospira, andSiphonilda and the subgenusCryptaulax (Wallowax) are introduced. 27 species are erected. A lectotype is designated forCryptaulax rhabdocolpoides Haas, 1953.