CollectHomepage AdvertisementContact usMessage

›› 2013, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (4): 591-600.

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Species diversity of amphibians and reptiles in southwestern region of Kyrgyzstan

ABLIZ  Omar,HU  Hong-ying,HALIK  Mahmut,TUMUR  Anwar   

  1. College  of  Life  Sciences  and  Technology, Xinjiang  University, Urumqi  830046, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2012-08-12 Revised:2012-10-09 Online:2013-07-25

Abstract: Kyrgyz Republic is situated at the center of Eurasia and has general borders with Kazakhstan,China,Uzbekistan,Tajikistan. Kyrgyzstan is surrounded by arid and extra arid plains of Central Asia,whose environment falls under hard influence of desert area that stretches in eastern hemisphere from Sahara till Gobi. The distance from the ocean and altitude amplitude from 500 to 7 134 m above sea level forms general aridity and continentality of climate. From north and south borders of the country with large deserts,there are a rich diversity of resources-species,ecosystems and land forms concentrated in Kyrgyz Republic. Abrupt change of habitat and straight removal of plants and animals from nature brought to extinction of a many species and put under threat of extinction some others in recent years. In order to further understanding of species diversity of amphibians and reptiles in Kyrgyzstan,a field investigation was carried out at different habitats namely mountain forest,grassland,wetland,cropland,residential area,and desert in northeastern regions including four oblasties:Osh oblasty,Jala-Abad oblasty,Talas oblasty and Chüy oblasty,and three cities:Osh,Jala-Abad,and Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan by transects method from 15 th and 26 th September in 2012,and comparative analysis was made to the species diversity indices from the different habitats. The results showed that 621 individuals which belonged to 26 species(subspecies),18 genus, 10 families, 4 orders of amphibians and reptiles specimens were collected in totally. Among them 5 amphibian species belonging to 2 genus,2 families one order,and 22 reptilian species belonging to 16 genus and 8 families were included. Bufo pewzowiRana asiatica,and Phrynocephalus saidalievi were the dominant species,and they accounted for 55.23% of the total species of the collections,Eremias veloxLaudakia himalayanaTrapelus agilisAblepharus desertiEumeces schneideriEremias yarkandensisNatrix tessellateElaphe dioneNaja oxiana,and Testudo horsfieldii horsfieldii were the frequent species,and they accounted for 36.88% of the total collections,which make up of the basic components of the amphibians and reptiles distribution in Kyrgyzstan. The others 12 species such as Laudakia stoliczkanaEremias argutaLacerta agilisEryx miliarisEryx tataricusVipera renardi were belonged to the rare groups,which accounted for 27.85% of the total species. There were significant differences in species diversity among the different habitats in these regions(p<0.05),species diversity and richness were the highest in the grassland habitat(2.029 8),the second in the mountain forest(1.920 4),while the least in the desert (0.233 8);Abundance of mountain forest in the highest (3.242 5),and the lowest in desert(0.288 5). The southwest of Kyrgyz Republic's climate is typical continental climate,mainly composed of amphibian and reptile species adapted to arid environment and drought tolerant species,faunistic composition is simple,and less number of endemic species,the species composition,geographical distribution and the origin of the herpetofauna were similar with northwest China's.

Key words: species diversity, amphibians, reptiles, southwestern region of Kyrgyzstan

CLC Number: 

  • Q959.5