A new Middle Ordovician conodont from central Kazakhstan, nothern Kyrgyzstan, and Altai

Naimanodus degtyarevi gen. et sp. nov., a new conodont genus and species from the Lower Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) limestones of the Naiman Formation in central Kazakhstan is described. Three types of coniform nongeniculate elements are identified in the apparatus of this species. The new species was widespread in the Asian Paleobasin and recorded in three localities in Kazakhstan, eastern Kyrgyzstan, and Altai.     

Molecular Epidemiology and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Livestock Brucella melitensis Isolates from Naryn Oblast,Kyrgyzstan

The incidence of human brucellosis in Kyrgyzstan has been increasing in the last years and was identified as a priority disease needing most urgent control measures in the livestock population. The latest species identification of Brucella isolates in Kyrgyzstan was carried out in the 1960s and investigated the circulation of Brucella abortus, B. melitensis, B. ovis, and B. suis. However, supporting data and documentation of that experience are lacking. Therefore, typing of Brucella spp. and identification of the most important host species are necessary for the understanding of the main transmission routes and to adopt an effective brucellosis control policy in Kyrgyzstan. Overall, 17 B. melitensis strains from aborted fetuses of sheep and cattle isolated in the province of Naryn were studied. All strains were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, rifampin, ofloxacin, streptomycin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin. Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis showed low genetic diversity. Kyrgyz strains seem to be genetically associated with the Eastern Mediterranean group of the Brucella global phylogeny. We identified and confirmed transmission of B. melitensis to cattle and a close genetic relationship between B. melitensis strains isolated from sheep sharing the same pasture.     

Ordovician radiolaria and conodonts from the peri-Gondwanan Karatau-Naryn microplate (Sarydzhaz, eastern Kyrgyzstan)

Cambrian-Ordovician sedimentary sequences crop out extensively in the area surrounding the Sarydzhaz River, a remote mountainous region situated in the eastern part of Kyrgyzstan. These sequences, composed essentially of fine siliciclastic lithologies, were deposited on a passive margin of the peri-Gondwanan Karatau-Naryn microplate. Palaeontological constraints for the age of these sequences are rare. Recent efforts of geological mapping in the area discovered reasonably well-preserved radiolarian and conodont faunas. The occurrence of conodonts was mentioned previously, but no taxonomic details were ever reported. Two conodont assemblages are identified from the Oldzhobai Formation; the first is dominated by Paracordylodus gracilis, which can be correlated with the upper Tremadocian to lower Floian; the second assemblage is more diverse and characterized by Prioniodus elegans, suggesting a mid Floian age. This is the first discovery of Ordovician Radiolaria from Kyrgyzstan. In spite of its rather moderately good to poor preservation, the fauna is interesting in many respects, especially due to the presence of a new radiolarian species (Inanigutta (?) kyrgyza nov. sp.). The latter is easily identifiable by the distinctive pore pattern of its cortical shell and has therefore the potential to become in the future a biostratigraphic marker species.     

Eocene Lagomorpha (Mammalia) of Asia: 2. Strenulagus and Gobiolagus (Strenulagidae)

Two species of early lagomorph, Strenulagus solaris sp. nov. (Monogolia, Khaychin-Ula 2 and 3 localities, Middle Eocene) and Gobiolagus hekkeri (Kyrgyzstan, Andarak 2 locality, terminal Lower Eocene), are described. A revision of Romanolagus hekkeri Shevyreva from the Andarak 2 locality has shown that it belongs to the genus Gobiolagus; consequently, the monotypic genus Romanolagus Shevyreva, 1995 is a junior synonym of Gobiolagus Burke, 1941. The diagnoses and species compositions of the genera Strenulagus and Gobiolagus are revised. Zaissanolagus gromovi Erbajeva from the Lower Oligocene of eastern Kazakhstan is shown to be the latest representative of the genus Gobiolagus and the family Strenulagidae.     

Revision of the genus Hemisaprinus Kryzhanovskij, 1976 (Coleoptera,Histeridae, Saprininae)

The monophyletic genus Hemisaprinus Kryzhanovskij in Kryzhanovskij & Reichardt, 1976 is revised herein. All three species Hemisaprinus subvirescens (Ménétries, 1832), H. lutshniki (Reichardt, 1941) and H. cyprius (Dahlgren, 1981) are found to be correctly assigned to the genus and their monophyly is supported by the synapomorphy of the presence of prosternal foveae. The three species are re-described and supplemented with colour photographs as well as SEM micrographs outlining their differences. Male genitalia drawing of H. subvirescens and H. lutshniki are provided and a key to the species is given. Hemisaprinus subvirescens (Ménétries, 1832) is newly reported from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Jordan, Cyprus and Mongolia. The lectotypes and paralectotypes of the following species are designated herein: Saprinus foveisternus Schmidt, 1884, Saprinus syriacus Marseul, 1855 and Saprinus viridulus Marseul, 1855.     

New Insects (Insecta: Trichoptera,Reculida, Eoblattida) from the Mesozoic of Asia

New caddisflies, reculid and eoblattid insects from the Mesozoic of Asia are described. Caddisflies of the families Philopotamidae (Mesoviatrix paradoxa gen. et sp. nov. and Kempia piotri gen. et sp. nov.) and Polycentropodidae (Polylongevus eskovi gen. et sp. nov.) from the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of the Kempendyai locality in Yakutia are described. A short review and comparison of fossil members in these families are provided. New Gryllones insects, Shurabia tanga sp. nov., Sauk batkenicus gen. et sp. nov. from the Sauk Tan’ga locality (Lower Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan), Say kirgizicus gen. et sp. nov. from the Shurab III locality (Reculida: Geinitziidae; Lower or Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan) Griphopteron iya sp. nov. (Eoblattida: Blattogryllidae) from Iya locality (Middle Jurassic of Russia) are described.     

Antlions and owlflies (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae,Ascalaphidae) of Kyrgyzstan

The myrmeoleontoid Neuroptera fauna of Kyrgyzstan comprises 34 species-group taxa, among which 23 are recorded from the republic for the first time. Epacanthaclisis alaica Krivokhatsky, 1998 is known only from the holotype collected in the Alai Mt. Range; Kirghizoleon cubitalis Krivokhatsky et Zakharenko, 1994 is known from Kyrgyzstan and from the Hissar Mt. country in Tajikistan; and Mesonemurus vartianorum Hölzel, 1972 is distributed from the Tien Shan to Afghanistan. 26 species are common in Kyrgyzstan and are fairly evenly distributed over its territory. New synonymies are established: Macronemurus persicus (Navás, 1915) = Barreja persica Navás, 1915, = Barreja amoena Hölzel, 1972, syn. n.; Myrmecaelurus acerbus (Walker) = Myrmeleon acerbus Walker, 1853; = Myrmecaelurus varians Navás, 1913, syn. n.; = Myrmecaelurus aequans Navás, 1913, syn. n.; = Myrmecaelurus nematicus Navás, 1932, syn. n. The polymorphous structure of the widely variable Macronemurus persicus is shown, and three its color morphs are distinguished: Macronemurus persicus var. persica (Navás, 1915), var. graciosa var. n., and var. amoena (Hölzel, 1972). Data on the antlion and owlfly fauna of some other Palaearctic countries are supplemented.     

Five new species of flat moths (Lepidoptera,Depressariidae) from Russia and neighboring countries

Five new species are described: Agonopterix vladimirisp. n. from the Russian Far East, A. kopetdagellasp. n. from Turkmenistan, Exaeretia terskeellasp. n. from Kyrgyzstan, Depressaria pastukhovisp. n. from Southern Kazakhstan, and D. khorogellasp. n. from Tajikistan. Types of the new species are deposited in the collection of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg.     

Visean and Serpukhovian Koktjubinids (Biseriamminacea,Foraminifera) from Kazakhstan

Taxonomical composition of the family Koktjubinidae Marfenkova, 1991 is revised. Genera and species Koktjubina venusta Marfenkova, 1991, K. exotica (Vdovenko, 1962), Dzhamansorina grata Marfenkova, 1991, D. kipshakensis Marfenkova, 1991, D. minima (Vdovenko, 1962), Admiranda convexa Marfenkova, 1991, Ulanbela Marfenkova, 1991, and Ulanbela anabensis (Marfenkova, 1991) are redescribed. The Koktjubinidae are found to be more widely spread: Kyrgyzstan, western Europe, Morocco, Turkey, China, and Canada.     

New records of Lophoproctus coecus Pocock, 1894 (Diplopoda,Polyxenida, Lophoproctidae) extend the range of the genus Lophoproctus

The geographic distribution of the genus Lophoproctus Pocock, 1894 has greatly expanded with new records of the species Lophoproctus coecus Pocock, 1894, together with the reassignment of a number of millipedes formerly identified as Lophoproctus lucidus (Chalande, 1888). Lophoproctus coecus was found to be the sole representative of the family Lophoproctidae in collections examined from Crimea and the Caucasian region. The species was also identified from Iran and Kyrgyzstan. Lophoproctus specimens collected in Italy by Verhoeff were reassigned as Lophoproctus coecus with the exception of one specimen of Lophoproctus jeanneli (Brölemann, 1910) from Capri. These data were combined with all available information from the literature to look at the pattern of distribution of the four species in the genus. The range of the genus Lophoproctus extends from Portugal to Central Asia. Lophoproctus coecus is widespread from Italy eastward, while the morphologically very similar species Lophoproctus lucidus is confined to France and northern Africa. The two species have a narrow overlap in the Alpes Maritimes region of France. Lophoproctus jeanneli has a scattered coastal distribution around the Mediterranean Sea. The troglobitic species Lophoproctus pagesi (Condé, 1982) has only been recorded from a cave on Majorca, Spain.     

Notes on the systematics and distribution of Palaearctic blues (Lepidoptera,Lycaenidae)

Two new species and one new subspecies of blues are described from Central Asia, namely Polyommatus kuronjerus Korb, sp. n. (type locality: Kyrgyzstan, the Suusamyr valley, 7 km E of Suusamyr, 2800 m), Neolycaena turkomana Korb, sp. n. (type locality: Turkmenia, Badkhyz Nature Reserve, the Kyzyldzhar valley) and Satyrium acaudatum balasagyna Korb, ssp. n. (type locality: Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrghyz Mts., Tatyr, Golubinyi Waterfall, 1200 m). A new location for Plebejidea elvira (Eversmann, 1854) is determined for the Boomskoye valley in the Kyrghyz Mts. This new location is related to the late Pleistocene refuge in the Issyk-Kul valley.     

New data on the distribution and host plants of weevils (Coleoptera,Curculionoidea: Apionidae,Curculionidae) in the south of Baikal Siberia and in Mongolia

Two weevil species, Rhinoncus autumnalis Korotyaev, 1980 and Orchestes medvedevi (Korotyaev, 1995), comb. n. (from Rhynchaenus), both described from Mongolia, are recorded from Russia (Buryatia) for the first time. A key to five Orchestes species associated with elms in Eastern Siberia, the Russian Far East, and Mongolia is provided. Aizobius sedi (Germar, 1818) is recorded for the first time from Eastern Siberia based on the recent findings in Buryatia and on older collections from Tuva where it is associated with Orostachys spinosa (L.) C.A. Mey. (Crassulaceae); it is also recorded for the first time from Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. Magdalis (Aika) margaritae Barrios, 1984, native of Mongolia, Northern China and the south of the Russian Far East, is recorded from Buryatia. Lixus (Broconius) korotyaevi Ter-Minassian, 1989, formerly known in Russia only from southern Tuva, is recorded from Buryatia where it was collected on Suaeda ?prostrata Pallas, which is the first known host of this species. Rhamphus ?oxyacanthae (Marsham, 1802) is reported from Buryatia where it was collected from Cotoneaster melanocarpa, and from Mongolia.     

On the spider genus Arboricaria with the description of a new species (Araneae,Gnaphosidae)

The spider genus Arboricaria Bosmans, 2000 is redefined and an updated diagnosis given. The differences between Arboricaria and Micaria Westring, 1851 are discussed in detail. A key to all five species of the genus is provided. One new species, Arboricaria zonsteini sp. n. (♂♀), is described based on specimens from Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. One new synonym is proposed: Arboricaria koeni Bosmans in Bosmans & Blick, 2000, syn. n. is assigned to Arboricaria sociabilis Kulczyński in Chyzer & Kulczyński, 1897. Data on the distribution of Arboricaria in Russia and adjacent countries are presented with references to the papers on local spider faunas.     

Phenotypic variability of eye-spots in natural populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coenonympha pamphilus</Emphasis> L. (Lepidoptera,Satyridae)

Variation of eye-spots in the wing pattern of Coenonympha pamphilus (Linnaeus, 1758) was studied in the Urals with adjacent territories and in Dzhelal-Abad Province of Kyrgyzstan. Discriminant analysis of the wing length and eye-spot diameter and the phenetic distances calculated by the Hartman’s method revealed clinal variation of the characters. The butterflies in the northern parts of the range (Sverdlovsk and Kurgan Provinces) are smaller than those in the south (Orenburg and Chelyabinsk Provinces) and have fewer eye-spots which themselves are smaller. The Kyrgyzstan specimens differ significantly from the Ural ones (the nominotypical subspecies) in both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the wing pattern, and should probably be assigned to the subspecies C. pamphilus marginata Heyne, 1894. As in most Satyridae, females of C. pamphilus are larger than males and on the average possess more eye-spots on the wings. The degree of phenotypic variation in natural populations was studied using the method of variation spectra (Kovalenko, 1996a, 1996b, 2007, etc.). The arrangement of phenotypic combinations within the theoretical spectrum (St) matrix allows one to describe the actual (Sr) and potential (Sp) spectra for either sex and for the species as a whole. The actual spectrum was found to be considerably broader in males than in females. With minor variations, Sr and Sp showed the same general trends in different samples of both sexes. In all the samples, phenetic combinations with one spot on the fore wing (in cell M ₁-M ₂) were predominant. The hind wing had either no spots (which was typical of males, especially in the northern parts of the range) or the maximum possible number, six (mostly in females, more often in the southern parts of the range). The phenetic combinations with the maximum (4) number of spots on the fore wing and the minimum number (0) on the hind wing are prohibited for C. pamphilus.     

Fungiform organisms from the Early Cambrian of the Northern Tien Shan

Microfossils described as a new genus, Palaeorhiphidium gen. nov., have been discovered from red jaspers of the Lower Cambrian Karakatta Formation in the Karakatta Range, Kyrgyzstan. The microfossils are excellently preserved, allowing their interpretation as remains of fungiform organisms.     

New insects (Insecta: Eoblattida,Embiida) from the Permian of Russia and the Triassic of Kyrgyzstan,with observations on the origin of webspinners

Locustoblattina segmentata gen. et sp. nov. and L. marginata gen. et sp. nov., new members of the family Mesorthopteridae (Eoblattida) are described from the Middle Triassic of the Madygen locality (Ladinian Stage of the Kyrgyzstan). New members of the Alexarasniidae (Embiida), Alexarasnia limbata Aristov, sp. nov. and Nestorembia shcherbakovi sp. nov., are described from the Upper Permian Isady locality in the Vologda Region and the Madygen locality, respectively. Parastenaropodites fluxa Storozhenko, 1996 (Mesorthopteridae) is redescribed from Madygen. The origin of webspinners from within the Permian eoblattids and the composition of the superorder Blattidea are discussed.     

On an Ornithomimid dinosaur (Saurischia, Ornithomimosauria) from the Cenomanian of Fergana

A fragmentary coracoid of Ornithomimidae indet. from the Lower Cenomanian of the Abshir River (Kyrgyzstan) is described. This is the first record of this group in a Cenomanian locality of Fergana. The coracoid from the Abshir locality is similar in the lateral deflection of the glenoid to an endemic group of Asiatic Ornithomimidae that includes Anserimimus, Gallimimus, and taxa from the Cenomanian and Turonian of western Uzbekistan. It is most similar to the unnamed ornithomimid from the Cenomanian of Karakalpakia in having a distinct vertical crest that borders anteriorly a depression for the coracobrachialis brevis muscle. Dinosaurs recorded in the Cenomanian of Fergana are reviewed.     

Effects of Climate Change on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralaudakia lehmanni</Emphasis> (Nicolsky, 1896) (Reptilia: Agamidae) in Central Asia

Climate change and global warming are the main challenges regarding to the conservation biologists on the world. Reptiles are ectothermic animal and then highly dependent on the habitat temperature and precipitation. To protect reptiles, it is necessary to predict the impact of climate change effect on the species distribution and manage its conservation program. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of climate change on the distribution pattern of Paralaudakia lehmanni in Central Asia. According to the results, the current distribution is predicted from North Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan and the precipitation of coldest quarter (BIO19) was the most contributed bioclimate variable. Future predictions show a similar pattern with the current period and, based on the niche overlap test, the overlap of these patterns was more than 0.85 and indicated no differences between them. Distribution can be affected by the highland distribution of P. lehmanni. Because this species has such an elevated range, precipitation of coldest quarter is not predicted to change much in future and therefore suitable habitats will remain similar to current period. Finally, although there is no predicted impact of climate change on the species distribution pattern in future, the conservation of P. lehmanni is important because of other threats such as human disturbance and predation.