A zoogeographical analysis of the vertical structure of the North Tian-Shanian butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) and the questions of the faunagenesis in Central Asia

A zoogeographical analysis of the vertical structure of the North Tian-Shanian butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) and the questions of the faunagenesis in Central Asia

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A zoogeographical analysis performed for vertical structures of the butterfly fauna of North TianShan.The arealogical structure of this fauna includes 46 types of areals, grouped in 3 complexes (226 species).It is shown that the fauna is divided into four vertical zones: lowland, midland, highland and superhighland (the latter is formed from the nival and subnival vegetation belts with predominantly Tumbler Cup autochthonous formgenesis).

The midlands and highlands faunas are similar within the same mountain ridge, but dissimilar between the ridges (except for TransIli Alatau and Kungei Ala-Too, forming single mountain massive) and have mixed autochthonous and allochthonous origin (in approximately equal proportions).The fauna of lowland is predominantly of allochthonous origin (Turan arid zone, South-Tajik depression and Khorezm lowland).The greatest number of all-altitude species is recorded for the complex of wide areals, the lowest number is for the Central Asian complex; Tian-Shanian complex have no all-altitude species.

It is shown that the origin of butterfly fauna of the Northern Tian-Shan is from the Central Asian protofauna with specialization in superhighland.It is shown that the authochtonous formgenesis Caster Accessories have more value in the higher located vertical belts.