Vinokurov N.N. 2024. Zoogeographic relationships between true bugs (Heteroptera) in the fauna of relict forest-steppes of the middle taiga subzone of Yakutia and the steppes of southern East Siberia // Russian Entomol. J. Vol.33. No.1: 22–38 [in English].
Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone, Siberan Branch RAS, 41 Lenin Av., Yakutsk 677980 Russia. E-mail: n_vinok@mail.ru
doi: 10.15298/rusentj.33.1.03
ABSTRACT. This paper presents a comparative chorological analysis of the steppe complex of true bugs (Heteroptera) in three regions: the south of East Siberia, relict steppes of the middle taiga subzone, and mountain steppes of North-East Yakutia. The study reveals the presence of ancient connections between the entomofauna of the last two territories and the steppe biota of the south of East Siberia, which aligns with botanical data indicating the Dauro-Mongolian roots of relic steppe phytocenoses in the middle taiga subzone of Yakutia. The analysis includes 52 species from 13 families, with Euroasian steppe (25), Eastern steppe (17), Desert-Steppe (2), Central-Asian montane Eastern steppe (4), and North-East Siberia subendemic (2) distributional ranges. In North-East Yakutia, the steppe true bug fauna is found to be less diverse, consisting of 33 species, including 11 Euroasian steppe, 7 Eastern steppe, 1 Desert-Steppe, 14 mountain-steppe species with disjunctive Altai-Sayan-Khangai-Eastern steppe and North-East Siberian ranges, as well as local endemic ranges. Overall, the steppe complex of relic steppe phytocenoses in the middle taiga subzone and northeastern Yakutia is considered an impoverished derivative of the steppes and forest-steppes of southern East Siberia. It also reveals evidence of ancient faunogenetic relations with the desert biota of Central Asia. The findings provide valuable insights into the historical biogeography of the studied regions.
KEY WORDS: True bugs, Heteroptera, Central Yakutia, extrazonal steppe, East Siberia, fauna, zoogeography.