Patterns in the structure of Asian and North American desert small mammal communities

Aim We compared assemblages of small mammal communities from three major desert regions on two continents in the northern hemisphere. Our objective was to compare these with respect to three characteristics: (1) species richness and representation of trophic groups; (2) the degree to which these assemblages exhibit nested community structure; and (3) the extent to which competitive interactions appear to influence local community assembly. Location We studied small mammal communities from the deserts of North America (N=201 sites) and two regions in Central Asia (the Gobi Desert (N=97 sites) and the Turan Desert Region (N=36 sites), including the Kara-Kum, Kyzyl-Kum, NE Daghestan, and extreme western Kazakhstan Deserts). Method To provide baseline data we characterized each desert region in terms of alpha, beta, and gamma diversity, and in terms of the distribution of taxa across trophic and locomotory groups. We evaluated nestedness of these communities using the Nestedness Temperature Calculator developed by Atmar & Patterson (1993, 1995) , and we evaluated the role of competitive interactions in community assembly and applied a null model of local assembly under varying degrees of competitive interaction ( Kelt et al., 1995, 1996 ). Results All three desert regions have low alpha diversity and high beta diversity. The total number of species in each region varied, being highest in North America, and lowest in the Turan Desert Region. The deserts studied all present evidence of significant nestedness, but the mechanism underlying this structure appears different in North American and Asia. In North America, simulations strongly implicate interspecific competition as a dominant mechanism influencing community and assemblage structure. In contrast, data from Asian desert rodent communities suggest that these are not strongly influenced by competition; in fact, they have greater numbers of ecologically and morphologically similar species than expected. These results appear to reflect strong habitat selection, with positive associations among species that share similar habitat requirements in these communities. Our analyses support earlier reports suggesting that predation and abiotic forces may have greater influences on the assembly and organization of Asian desert rodent communities, whereas interspecific competition dominates assembly processes in North America. Additionally, we suggest that structuring mechanisms may be very different among the two Asian deserts studied. Gobi assemblages appear structured by trophic and locomotory strategies. In contrast, Turan Desert Region assemblages appear to be randomly structured with respect to locomotory strategies. When trophic and locomotory categories are combined, however, Turan species are positively and nonrandomly associated. Main conclusions Very different ecological dynamics evidently exist not only between these continents, but within them as well. These small mammal faunas differ greatly in terms of community structure, but also appear to differ in the underlying mechanisms by which communities are assembled. The underlying role of history and geography are strongly implicated as central features in understanding the evolution of mammalian faunas in different deserts of the world.     

Faunal relationships and zoogeographical affinities of mammals in north-west Africa

The nonmarine mammal fauna of the Maghreb region of north‐west Africa is related to that from three potential source areas: the northern Palaearctic (Europe and south‐west Asia; here referred to as the European fauna), subsaharan Africa (the African fauna) and the arid Palaearctic (Sahara Desert: the desert fauna). On the basis of geographical distribution patterns, this fauna divisible into two groups: the bats, whose affinities are most closely related to southern Europe and south‐west Asia, and nonflying species, most closely related to subsaharan Africa but with an appreciable northern Palaearctic element. These affinities are even more pronounced if desert fauna are removed from the analysis. The nonflying European fauna probably colonized via south‐west Asia and north Africa, rather than direct from western Europe. The results demonstrate that terrestrial habitat barriers are less of an impediment to dispersal, for all mammals except bats, than even narrow stretches of water. The fauna of the Maghreb may be undergoing faunal relaxation, following immigration from tropical Africa and south‐west Asia during mesic phases in the Late Pleistocene and early Holocene.     

Pugs of the tribe Eupitheciini (Lepidoptera,Geometridae): the history of study and distribution over biogeographic regions

The World fauna of the tribe Eupitheciini is the most species-rich in the family Geometridae. This tribe includes about 1900 species (almost 3000 species-group names) from 47 genera; about one third of the genera (15) are monotypic. The generic diversity of Eupitheciini is the highest in the Australian (38 genera, 11 of them endemic) and Oriental regions (32 genera, 4 endemic) and the lowest in the Neotropical Region (possibly one genus only). The faunas of different biogeographic regions can be arranged in following order by their species richness: the Palaearctic (487 species), Oriental (397), Neotropical (346), Australian (251), Afrotropical (198), and Nearctic Regions (166 species). Eupithecia is the most species-rich genus in the family Geometridae and the entire order Lepidoptera, and one of the largest genera in the whole World fauna of insects. The greatest number of species of this genus is recorded in the Palaearctic Region (466 species), where Eupithecia accounts for about 95% of the tribe Eupitheciini. The mainland of the Oriental Region (especially the Himalayas) is also very species-rich; however the proportion of the Eupithecia representatives decreases towards Malaysia, Sundaland, and the Australian Region (about 2% of the tribe). The Eupitheciini faunas have the greatest similarity at the generic level between the Oriental and Australian Regions (the Jaccard and Sørensen coefficient values being 0.62 and 0.77, respectively). The Palaearctic fauna is more similar to the Afrotropical and Oriental faunas at the genus-group level. On the whole, the fauna of the Nearctic Region is similar to that the West Palaearctic, with the exception of the fact that representatives of the genera Gymnoscelis and Chloroclystis are absent in North America, although two endemic genera Nasusina and Prorella are present. At the genus-group level, the Nearctic fauna of Eupitheciini is more similar to the Neotropical (the Jaccard and Sørensen coefficients 0.20 and 0.33, respectively) than to the Palaearctic fauna (0.17 and 0.29). The number of synonymies is very high in the tribe Eupitheciini because of the homogeneity of this group, whose species are difficult to identify without the use of elaborate anatomical techniques. Modern revisions, catalogues, surveys, and atlases on Eupitheciini are absent for many countries and large geographic regions. Revisions of pugs of the tribe Eupitheciini for some biogeographic regions are extremely difficult because of fragmentation of entomological collections including the type specimens of many species-group taxa. A large fraction of synonyms is characteristic of parts of the World with the best known faunas: Europe (64% of synonyms) and North America (39%). On the contrary, the lowest levels of synonymy are typical of the less known faunas of the regions situated at the equatorial latitudes, namely the Neotropical (9%) and Afrotropical (8%) ones.     

Revision of Palaearctic mountain midges (Diptera: Deuterophlebiidae), with phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses of world species

Abstract. The mountain midges (Diptera: Deuterophlebiidae) of the Palaearctic Region are revised to include eight species. Four new species are described: D. brachyrhina sp. nov., D.oporina sp. nov. and D. blepharis sp.nov. from the Himalayas (Assam and Sikkim), and D.bicarinata sp. nov. from southern Korea. A lectotype is designated for D.mirabilis Edwards, and a key to adult males of all Palaearctic species is provided.
Larval, pupal and adult characters were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships of world species of Deuterophlebiidae. Based on features of the adult male, the Himalayan species D. brachyrhina and D. oporina are considered the most primitive deuterophlebiids. The Nearctic species D. inyoensis is proposed as the sister group of the remaining species. Relationships among the latter are based primarily on larval and pupal characters; however, lack of information about the immature stages of several Palaearctic species contributes to a poorly resolved phylogeny. Several alternative hypotheses are presented and discussed. All phylogenetic alternatives suggest that the Nearctic fauna originated from at least two invasions of North America.     

Modelling the potential distribution of Mesalina watsonana (Stoliczka, 1872) (Reptilia: Lacertidae) on the Iranian Plateau

The Persian Long-tailed Desert Lizard, Mesalina watsonana, is one of the most common and most widely distributed lizards on the Iranian Plateau extending from Iran to Pakistan and Afghanistan. The species is frequently encountered in various types of habitats. We collected over 600 distributional records from available literature, museum collections, and our own field work and used bioclimatic and land cover characteristics to develop a model of potential distribution for M. watsonana. According to the model, the most important factors limiting the distribution of M. watsonana are: precipitation in wettest quarter exceeding 250–300 mm, precipitation in coldest quarter lower than 40 mm and exceeding 250 mm, altitudes above 2500 m and slopes steeper than 10.5°. The model suggests that most of the Iranian Plateau is suitable for the species except for some isolated areas such as the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut deserts in Iran, Helmand basin in Afghanistan, the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan, the western Chagai-Kharan deserts of Pakistani Balochistan, and Thar and Cholistan deserts in eastern Pakistan. The most important factor in these regions appears to be the extremely low rainfall during coldest quarter of the year. The outer boundary of the distribution of M. watsonana follows important biogeographic barriers that are also clearly delimited by climatic conditions.     

HISTORY OF NEOGENE MICROMAMMAL FAUNAL REGIONS OF CHINA

EaistenceofcertainhigherendeIinctaxainanecogeograPhiccategoryisthesolecriteri0nfordifferentiatingafaunalregion'ThepalaearcticRegion,forexamPle,possessesaseriesofpeculiarbolies,suchasDipwhdae,SeleviniidaeandSiphneidae'HtoPadri,however,wasawide-ranging(eurytopic)g0nusanditswideoccurreneeinthelateNeogenedepositsofthecountrydoesnotindicateasinglezoogeographicwhtinChina'Smallmammalsseemtomorereliablydefinefaunalregionsthan1argermanunals;theirstrictercorrespondencetoenvironmelltresultsmainlyfrom…     

Cutaneous water loss and the development of the stratum corneum of nestling house sparrows (Passer domesticus) from desert and mesic environments

Evaporation through the skin contributes to more than half of the total water loss in birds. Therefore, we expect the regulation of cutaneous water loss (CWL) to be crucial for birds, especially those that live in deserts, to maintain a normal state of hydration. Previous studies in adult birds showed that modifications of the lipid composition of the stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the epidermis, were associated with changes in rates of CWL. However, few studies have examined the ontogeny of CWL and the lipids of the SC in nestling birds. In this study, we measured CWL and the lipid composition of the SC during development of nestlings from two populations of house sparrows, one from the deserts of Saudi Arabia and the other from mesic Ohio. We found that desert and mesic nestlings followed different developmental trajectories for CWL. Desert nestlings seemed to make a more frugal use of water than did mesic nestlings. To regulate CWL, nestlings appeared to modify the lipid composition of the SC during ontogeny. Our results also suggest a tighter regulation of CWL in desert nestlings, presumably as a result of the stronger selection pressures to which nestlings are exposed in deserts.     

中国翼手目区系的研究及与日本翼手目区系的比较

翼手类是哺乳动物中唯一能够占领空间领域,真正飞行的一目。在现生哺乳纲中,为其种数仅次于啮齿类的一个大目,这无论就全世界来说,或者就中国来说,都是如此。以往中国对翼手目的报道,均散见于各区系报告中,缺乏专门系统研究,这同此类群之繁多是很不相称的,本文仅在材料很不充分的情况下,作初步概括性讨论。     

First records of the western conifer seed bug Leptoglossus occidentalis Heid. (Heteroptera, Coreidae) from Russia and Ukraine, regularities in its distribution and possibilities of its range expansion in the palaearctic region

The paper presents the first records of the western conifer seed bug Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 for the fauna of Russia (Rostov Province) and Ukraine (Crimea and Zaporizhia Province). The dependence of the spread of this species on positive and negative temperatures and the availability of food plants is considered. The forecast of further expansion of its range in the Palaearctic Region is given.     

The zoogeographical composition and distribution of the Arabian termite fauna

Thirty-three termite species have been recorded from the Arabian peninsula (from Saudi Arabia, North and South Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Kuwait). The fauna is predominantly Afro-tropical (Ethiopian) but with a major Palaearctic (Eremic) element. The greatest diversity occurs in the south-west where mountainous regions provide greater habitat diversity than elsewhere. The Afro-tropical influence decreases towards the north and east, the Palaearctic influence increasing correspondingly; the Oriental influence is negligible and the level of endemism is high.     

A review of the palaearctic species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hadrodactylus</Emphasis> Förster (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Ctenopelmatinae) with a description of five new species

30 Palaearctic species of Hadrodactylus are considered. 2 species-group with 6 subgroups are distinguished. 5 new species from the Eastern Palaearctic Region are described: Hadrodactylus arkit sp. n. (Kyrgyzstan), H. caucasicus sp. n. (Caucasus), H. nitidus sp. n., H. sibiricus sp. n., and H. taigensis sp. n. (Eastern Siberia and Far East of Russia). A new combination and a new synonymy Xenoschesis incarnator Aubert, 1985 (recte Hadrodactylus, comb. n.) = Hadrodactylus fugax almator Aubert, 1996, syn. n. are established. An annotated list of species is given with data on the distribution in Russia and adjacent territories. A key to 30 Palaearctic species is given.     

On the relative importance of history and ecology in structuring communities of desert small animals

Several recent studies have compared small mammal community structure across multiple deserts on different continents. These studies have tacitly assumed that variation in community structure was greater between continents than within, and so have not evaluated variation across desert regions within continents. I evaluated several metrics of community structure and a model of community assembly for four desert regions in North America - the Great Basin, Mojave. Sonoran. and Chihuahuan Deserts in order to explicitly compare these metrics across these deserts. Additionally. I compared these results with similar analyses conducted on two desert regions in central Asia - the Gobi Desert and the Turan Desert Region to evaluate the relative magnitude of intra- vs inter-continental variation. Although the patterns observed are complex, they demonstrated marked heterogeneity in desert small mammal communities within North America. However, this heterogeneity is much less than that observed in inter-continental comparisons, in which Asian and North American deserts differ markedly. These results agree with other recent studies providing limited or no support for the existence of substantial convergence in community characteristics or ecological function across geographically distant regions. Rather, the results support the hypothesis that the common evolutionary history of faunas in globally disjunct landmasses has had a stronger influence on the evolution of communities and faunas than do regional variations in climate, physiography, etc. Whereas a common ecological setting may have large impacts on some facets of organismal structure (e.g., bipedalism in desert small mammals), common evolutionary history appears to have a more profound influence on local dynamics.     

Tabanidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia

Samples were collected from southern, central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia using Malaise traps and sweep nets. Nine species of Tabanidae were identified, two for the first time from Saudi Arabia, Hybomitra peculiaris (Szilády) and Atylotus pulchellus (Loew).Therefore, the total number of Tabanidae in Saudi Arabia is 31 species. Remarks of the species recorded in this study were given. A key to the genera of Tabanidae occurring in the Arabian Peninsula is also provided. Available literature for Saudi Arabian Tabanidae is summarized and provided. It is concluded that the tabanid fauna of Saudi Arabia is more similar to that of the Palaearctic region than to the Afrotropical region.     

中国夜蛾科昆虫的物种多样性及分布格局

本文在收集整理中国夜蛾全部种类名录和分布资料的数据库基础上,对其分布格局进行了分析。结果表明：中国夜蛾共有20个亚科845个有效属3 751个有效种,占世界种类的13.66%,其中1 734种模式产地在中国。这些种类主要归属4种区系成分,其中东亚成分占优势,占总数的51.35%,东洋成分占25.51%,古北成分占18.45%,广布成分仅2.26%。夜蛾在全国七个动物地理区中的分布,是不同类群不同分布特点的复合体,84种广布种分布广泛而均匀,七区之间的多元相似性系数达显著水平。 957种东洋种类和692种古北种类随纬度呈阶梯状分布,各区间无显著相似性。 1 926种东亚种类中,南中国型1 363种,分别较为孤立地分布在华南、华中、西南三区,各区之间联系微弱; 北中国型290种,零星分散地分布在东北、蒙新、华北、青藏四区; 中中国型273种遍布全国,但主要分布在我国中部的华北、华中、西南、青藏四区,以跨界分布为特点,四区之间具有显著的多元相似性。特有种的简约性分析结果表明,特有分布区的分布和划分基本和中国动物地理区划相一致,但台湾和华中区关系密切。关键区系分析显示,台湾、云南、新疆、西藏等11个省区包含了中国夜蛾物种的90%,是物种保护的优先区域。     

The Identity of Simulium murmanum Enderlein, 1935 (Diptera: Simuliidae)

The identity of Simulium murmanum is re-established by designation of lectotype and paralectotype. The species is common and widespread in the northern Holarctic Region and has up to now been reported from the Nearctic Region as S. corbis and from the Palaearctic Region as S. relictum (and S. rostratum, auct., nec Lundstrüm).     

Two new palaearctic species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scoliophthalmus</Emphasis> Becker, 1903 (Diptera,Chloropidae) with a key to the species occurring in the Palaearctic Region

Two new species of the genus Scoliophthalmus Becker, 1903 (Diptera, Chloropidae) are described: S. miscanthi sp. n. from southern Primorskii Territory (Russia) and S. gussakovskii sp. n. from southern Tajikistan. The genus is recorded for Russia for the first time. The species of Scoliophthalmus occur only in the southern areas of the Palaearctic Region. A key to eight species occurring in the Palaearctic Region is given.     

柠条锦鸡儿小叶解剖结构的环境分异性研究

以巴丹吉林、腾格里、乌兰布和及库布齐沙漠的柠条锦鸡儿成熟叶片为研究对象,采用石蜡切片法,观察叶的横切结构,使用Motic Images Plus 2测定叶片厚度、栅栏组织细胞长和上、下表皮厚度等指标,分析比较4个沙漠的柠条锦鸡儿小叶解剖结构差异。结果表明:(1)生长环境不同,柠条锦鸡儿小叶在表皮、叶肉和叶脉结构上都存在差异,以巴丹吉林沙漠与库布齐沙漠的差异性最为显著。(2)干旱环境下,叶片变小、变厚,栅栏组织和维管束组织更为发达,巴丹吉林沙漠最为干旱,叶片最厚,栅栏组织细胞层数最多、细胞最长,导管列数最多;库布齐沙漠水分条件最好,叶片最薄,栅栏组织细胞最短且层数最少,导管列数最少。(3)对柠条锦鸡儿小叶解剖结构的各项指标与环境参数进行相关分析发现,温度和降水是影响柠条锦鸡儿小叶解剖结构变化的主要因素。     

江西省鄱阳湖自然保护区昆虫区系初探

据对有较详细分布资料的220种昆虫的分析,鄱阳湖自然保护区昆虫属东洋界范畴,但已接近古北界南缘;昆虫种类形成了古北,东洋两大区系成分交叉重叠现象．亦是两大区系交叉过渡地带。在我国东部地区,与鄱阳湖共有种的分布规律为随着纬度的增高而递减。本文论述了鄱阳湖33种昆虫在我国东半部分布的南北限。