Palaearctic region
Geographical boundary:
Europe, Africa north to tropics of cancer, Asia north to Himalaya and Nan ling range of China.
Climatic condition:
Extreme cold of Siberia and extreme hot of Sahara are are characteristic climate of this region.
Ecological condition:
Deciduous forest, large grassland, corniferous forest and mixed forest. Tundra area also present in this region.
Characteristics vertebrate fauna:
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sticklebacks |
|
Salmon |
1. Fish: Carp, Salmon, Pike, Sticklebacks are common in freshwater in this region.
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Siren |
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Amphuma |
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Hyla |
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Proteus |
2. Amphibia: Rich and contained a large number of tailed amphibians. These are Necturus, Siren, Amphiuma and Proteus. The tailless amphibians including genera Rana, Hyla, Bufo and Rhacophorus are wide spread.
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Asian pit viper |
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Testudo |
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Chinese Alligator |
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Trionyx |
3. Reptiles: The reptilian fauna is not very rich and there is not even are single genus, which could be described as endemic or exclusive. True vipers and Asian pit vipers and colubrids are only snakes found in palaearctic region. But in the southern edge of palaearctic region are found Testudo, Trionyx of eastern Asia, Alligator of China, Chameleon, Varanus, Typhlops and Sand boas.
4. Birds: Represented by 53 families, out of which 17 more or less widely distributed, while rest are migratory. These are grebes, loons, kingfisher, swallowes, finches, cuckoos, ducks, herons, woodpecker etc.
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Grebes |
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loons |
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Swallow |
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Heron |
Hedge sparrow family are exclusively palaearctic and loons, creepers are holoarctic.
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hedgehog |
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otter |
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beaver |
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mustelids |
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caribou |
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panda |
5. Mammals: Mammals in palaearctic region are represented by 33 families, but only 2 families of mammals are endemic. The important mammalian fauna includes beavers, moles, hedgehogs, pandas, pigs, squirrels, rabbit, mice, mustelids, dog, deer, and cat families.
|
moose |
The mammalian fauna overlapping with Nearctic region
Beaver, Otter, bear, wolf, reindeer(Caribou), elk(moose) and red deer.
Distribution of mammalian fauna in Palaearctic region
|
walrus |
Northern margin: Arctic fox, Polar bear, Arctic hare, seal, walrus.
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lynx |
Coniferous forest: moose, lynx, wolf
Deciduous forest: bear,boars, deer, fox, squirells, hedgehogs and many other burrowing creatures.
Steppe and semidesert areas: ass, horse, camels, sheep, goat, antelope, gazelle, jackal, fox.
Tibetan area: yak
|
yak |
SUBREGION
3. Siberian region
Geographical limit: Northern Asia north to himalayas.
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Musk Deer |
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Phoca sibirica |
Characteristic fauna: Vertebrates fauna comprises of 94 families, of which families of yak, musk deer and mole are exclusively confined to this subregion. Phoca sibirica(fresh water seal found in Baikal lake) is another characteristic fauna from this region.
4. Manchurian subregion:
Geographical limit: Mongolia, Japan, Korea and Manchuria
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tibetan langur |
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Chinese water deer |
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tufted deer |
Characteristic fauna: Its fauna is rich and varied with 120 families and a number of peculiar forms. Tibetan Langur (Rhinopithecus), great panda (Ailuropus), Chinese water-deer(Hydropotes), and tufted deer(Elaphodus) are represented in this region only.
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