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Neartic Realm Paleartctic Realm Oriental Realm

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Neartic Realm Paleartctic Realm Oriental Realm V SEMESTER ZOOLOGY PRACTICAL Neartic realm It includes Greenland and the whole of North America Temperate region, Artic belt of tundra in the North Greenland is entirely arctic and is buried beneath a mass of ice. Large lakes, inland seas, deciduous forests occur in the north eastern region Ranges of high mountains with coniferous forests occur in the western portion The middle portion is composed of grass lands Wide range of biomes (tundra, grassland, forests, deserts) Fauna Closely resembles Palaearctic region Fishes-cat fishes, perches, salmon, (Peculier-Holostei (amia, lepidosteus)) Amphibia- salamanders, bufo, Hyla, Rana, Siren, (large urodeles peculiar) Reptiles-Iguana, heloderma, coral snakes, crocodiles, alligators, (rattle snakes and iguanas are peculiar).Heloderma and Phrynosoma are endemic. Avian- hawks, vultures, herons, pelicans, kingfishers, woodpeckers. Blue jays and Turkey buzzards are endemic. Mammals-American opposum, moles, armadillos, bears, deers, rabbis, flying squirrels, bats, bison. American badger, Star nosed mole, Canadian porcupine, Long legged bats, and Leaf nosed bats are peculiar to this region. Paleartctic realm Largest realm Includes arctic regions, the northern temperate old worlds regions of Europe, Turkey, Iran, Asia south of Himalaya, Northern China, Japan, Russia and the northern part of Africa. Also a wide range of biomes (tundra, grassland, forests, deserts) Has been separated from southern realms by deserts, mountains, and ocean Four sub regions European-northern and southern Europe Mediterranean-African Arabian portions Siberian-All north Asian regions (extreme climates) and Manchurian-Mongolia, Manchuria, Japan and Korea.(peculiar animal is –Chinese water deer, Hydropote.) Fauna Resemblance to Nearctic Fishes-affinity to Nearctic except cyprinidae and cat fishes( affinity to Oriental region) paddle fish occurs in China and Dallia in eastern Ciberia 1 Amphibians-discoglossus, proteus, necturus, salamandra, shows greater affinity to oriental and Ethiopian and little affinity to Nearctic region. Reptiles- affinities to Oriental, Ethiopian and Neartic, varanus, pit-vipers, alligators and sand boas. Birds- affinity to Oriental and Ethiopian, most of the birds are migratory, hawks, cuckos, rails, finches, crows Mammals- affinity to Oriental, Ethiopian, Nearctic. Monotremes, marsupials, and elephants are absent, hedgehogs, shrews, moles, cat, dogs, horses, pigs, cattle, rabbits, mice, beavers, bats Oriental realm Tropical Asia with Indian Subcontinent, ceylon, Southern china, Pakistan, Burma, East Indies, Philippines, Sumatra, Jawa, Formosa. Separated from the Palaearctic region by Himalayan and Tibetan highlands. Four sub regions by Wallace (1876) Indian, Ceylonese, Indo- Chinese or Himalayan, and Indo Malayan Fauna Fishes- According to day (1889), 1418 species of fresh water and marine fishes under 72 families and 342 genera. Etroplus and Horanthys resctricted to Indian sub region o Monopterus endemic to Indo chinese Amphibia-111 sps, 24 genera and 8 families. Reptiles-greater affinity to Ethiopian region Mammals- peculiar sps o Loris o Gibbons-Assam, Burma, Malayan Archepelago o Tarsiers-indo Malayan o Lemurs—Malaya and Philippines o Tree shrews-India, Jawa, Borneo, Philippines o Moles-Himalayas Australian Realm Australia, Newzealand, New Guinea, Tasmania and small Pacific islands (Polynesian islands – are volcanic in origin) Wallace’s line-Drew by Wallace in 1863, according to which the western boundary of Australian region lies west to Celebes and Philippines. Weber’s line-Drew by Weber, according to which the western boundary of Australian region lies east to Celebes and Philippines Partly tropical and partly temperate Northern part of the region (north Australia and New Guinea) is tropical 2 Southern Australia is temperate Extensive areas in western and southern Australia are deserts Open grass lands are known as Savannas Four sub regions Austrio-Malayan-some of the islands of Malayan Archepelago and New Guinea Australian- Australia and Tasmania Polynasian-Pacific islands and Newzealand Fauna Fishes-Peculier fish-Neoceratodus (Australian lung fish) Amphibia-Frogs, Hyla, Microhyla etc. Leiopelma-frog of Newzealand, Eleuthery dactylus (without larval stage) Reptilia- Geckos, turtles, natrix, Varanus, Typhlops, Python etc.Sphenodon (Rhynchocephalia). Avifauna-Casurius (Cassowary), Kiwis, parrots, pparadise birds, kookaburras (famous laughing bird), black swan, lorrikeets, rosella. Mammals Egg-laying monotremes are exclusively restricted o Echidna- in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea o Ornithorhynchus- Australia, Tasmania Marsupials- Adaptive radiation is so extensive Dog like-Thylasinus, Cat like-Dasyurus, Mole like-Notoryctes, Ant eater- Myrmecobius, Austrlian Oppossum- Phalanger, Australian kangaroo- Macropus, Arboreal kangaroo-Dendolagus Placental mammals o Oryctolagus-English rabbit, Dingo- Wild dog, Vulpes- Europian Fox, and Bubalus- Asiatic buffalo o No endemic placental mammals Ethiopian realm Africa, Southern Arabia, Madagascar, Mauritius Mainly tropical North West Sahara- greatest desert Equatorial west Africa-tropical forests North east Africa is Mountainous Other parts- grass lands Four sub-regions West Africa, East Africa, South Africa and Malagasy Fauna • Fishes-most diversified, cat fishes, cyprinids, cyprinodonts, cichlids, Protopterus, Polypterus 3 • Amphibians-Bufo, Rana, Rhacophorus, Cacopus (Burrowing frog), apodans, Xenopus( African clawed toad is peculiar) • Reptilian-Testudo, Trionyx, Gecko, Varanus, Chamaeleon, Typhlops, Python, Vipera, Crocodilus • Birds-Ostrich, Secretary birds, Guinea fowls, Bush shrikes and buffalo weavers are peculiar • Mammalia-Giraffe,Zebra, Hippopotamus, Aardvark (earth pig), African elephant are endemic, absence of marsupials, • Gorilla is the giant ape, exclusively African, Congo forests of West Africa, Chirmys, Lemurs, Chimpanzee, Loris, Baboons etc are other monkeys. Neotropical realm Mexico, S. America, West Indies, Falk islands, Galapagos islands Mostly tropical, Southern part is temperate Amazon runs from south to east with evergreen valleys Western part is tropical mountains ‘Andes chain of mountains’ Four sub regions Chilian, Brazilian, Mexiacan, and Antillean Fauna Fishes-Fresh water fishes are abundant, absence of carp family, lepidosiren is peculiar, electric eels are found in Amazon river Amphibia- affinity to Australia, newts are abundant, frogs and toads are numerous Reptiles-turtles, crocodiles, geckos, coral snakes, pit vipers Birds-23 families are peculiar, American ostrich and Tinamus are endemic flightless birds. Mammals-Order Edentata are endemic (sloths, Armadillos, American hairy ant eaters), American opossums, New world monkeys-Platyrrhini (flat nosed)- Hapale, Cebus, Ateles, Alouta etc. 4 STUDY ON ENDEMIC SPECIES OF EACH REALM Neartic realm Paleartctic realm Oriental realm American badger, Mammals: Calomyscidae Etroplus and Star nosed mole, (mouse-like hamsters), Horanthys resctricted Canadian porcupine, Prolagidae, and Ailuridae to Indian sub region Long legged bats, and (red pandas). Leaf nosed bats are Monopterus endemic peculiar to this region. One bird family, the to Indo Chinese accentors (Prunellidae) is Blue jays and Turkey endemic Loris buzzards are endemic. Gibbons-Assam, Holostei (amia, Burma, Malayan lepidosteus) are also Archepelago endemic Tarsiers-Indo Malayan Lemurs—Malaya and Philippines Tree shrews-India, Jawa, Borneo, Philippines Moles-Himalayas 5 Australian Realm Ethiopian realm Neotropical realm Neoceratodus (Australian Ostrich, American ostrich and lung fish) Secretary birds, Tinamus are endemic Sphenodon Guinea fowls, flightless birds. Casurius (Cassowary), Bush shrikes and Kiwis,Emu buffalo weavers are Egg laying mammals of peculiar. Order Edentata are Echidna Giraffe, endemic sloths, Ornithorhynchus Zebra, Armadillos, Hippopotamus, American hairy ant Ant eater-Myrmecobius, Aardvark (earth pig), eaters, African elephant, American opossums, Austrlian Oppossum Gorilla are endemic. Australian kangaroo African clawed toad is New world monkeys- Arboreal kangaroo peculiar Platyrrhini (flat nosed)- Hapale, Cebus, Ateles, Alouta etc 6 .
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