[A boundary between palearctic and afrotropical faunistic kingdoms (based on the lizard distribution (Reptilia, Sauria))].
In order to define the limit between Palearctic and Afrotropical kingdoms, we studied the apparent transition zone between them which we limited by the North range boundary of Agama agama--the northernmost representative of a typical Afrotropical genus--and by the South range boundary of the southernmost representatives of Palearctic genera Acanthodactylus, Chalcides, Stenodactylus, and Tarentola. We also considered fauna of Southwest Arabian lizards including a representative of Afrotropical genus (Latastia longicaudata). Similarity of range and origin allowed us to class all species living within these boundaries into nine groups: Palearctic, Afrotropical, widespread, Afroarabian, zone endemics of Palearctic genera, zone endemics of Afrotropical genera, zone endemics of Afroarabian genera, zone endemics of tropical genera, and zone endemics at the generic level. Range superposition allowed us to map species abundance of each group. Predominance (over 50%) of Palearctic or Afrotropical species on the studied territory allowed us to assign it to the corresponding faunistic kingdom. The regions where neither of these groups exceeded 50% were assigned to the transition zones.
Bobrov
V V
VV
Severtsov Institute for Problems of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
D000818:Animals; D005843:Geography; D008116:Lizards / Q000145:classification