Khruleva О.А.1, Lantsov V.I.2, Devyatkov V.I.3, Paramonov N.M.4 2025. Crane flies (Diptera, Tipuloidea: Tipulidae, Limoniidae) of Wrangel Island (Chukotka AO, Russia). 2. Features of the faunal composition and spatial distribution // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.24. No.3: 153–168 [in English].
1 A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prosp. 33, Moscow 119071 Russia. Е-mail: oa-khruleva@mail.ru
2 Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories, Russian Academy of Sciences, Inessy Armand Str. 37A, Nalchik 360051 Russia. Е-mail: vi.lantsov@mail.ru
3 Kazakh Institute of Fish Research, Altai Branch, Protozanova Str. 83, Ust-Kamenogorsk 070004 Kazakhstan. E-mail: devyatkovvi@inbox.ru
4 S.I. Vavilov Institute for the History of Science and Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg Branch, Universitetskaya Nab. 5, Saint Petersburg 199034 Russia.
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.24.03.05
ABSTRACT. Tipuloidea are an abundant and ecologically important group of tundra insects. In the insular Arctic, one of the richest faunas of crane flies (Tipulidae and Limoniidae) is represented on Wrangel Island, whose biota had a long successive development under conditions of high natural environment diversity and absence of glaciation. It is based on species of the genus Tipula Linnaeus, 1758 (13 species), the main part of whose range lies in the tundras of Siberia. In the material studied, they represent 63% of the species composition and 98% of all specimens collected. In most areas, two mesoxerophilic species dominate: the Siberian-Alaskan Tipula (Pterelachisus) carinifrons carinifrons Holmgren, 1883 (46% of all specimens collected, found everywhere) and T. (Vestiplex) wrangeliana Stackelberg, 1944, the island subendemic (34%, absent in areas with harshest climate). The remaining mesoxerophilic species (there are Nephrotoma lundbecki lundbecki (Nielsen, 1907) and four Tipula species from the subgenera Lunatipula, Odonatisca, Pterelachisus and Vestiplex) are only locally abundant; three of these species are restricted to the warmest areas of the island. Among the hydro- and hygrophilous (six species of Tipulidae and five of Limoniidae), only Tipula (Savtshenkia) glaucocinerea Lundström, 1915 has a high abundance (12%, most common in climatically more severe areas of the island). The remaining species of this group occur sporadically, and the distribution of most of them does not show a close relationship with the climatic gradient on the island. In terms of species composition, the Tipuloidea fauna of Wrangel Island is most similar to that of Taymyr and, in the insular Arctic, to that of Novaya Zemlya. Compared to other areas belonging to the same bioclimatic subzone, mesoxerophilic species on Wrangel Island are significantly more diverse. In the 20th century (1980s–90s data), high abundances of Tipuloidea were recorded in almost all areas where quantitative surveys (using pitfall traps) were carried out. Data collected in the 21st century (mainly in 2010s) show a marked decline in the abundance of this group, which is particularly pronounced in the warmest inland areas of the island. This is due to declining abundance of some species (especially Tipula carinifrons carinifrons Holmgren, 1883), indicating the vulnerability of the High Arctic Tipulidae complex in the changing climate.
KEY WORDS: Tipulidae, Limoniidae, Arctic, tundra zone, chorology, spatial distribution, abundance dynamics, climate warming.