Species Diversity And Geographic Distribution Of Tenebrionid Beetles In Mongolian Plateau(Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae)

This dissertation systematic study the species diversity and geographic distribution on the darkling beetles of Mongolian Plateau, using relative material to make a comprehensive analysies of fauna component, biodiversity characteristics and distribution pattern about the family insect, and get the following preliminary results:1. According to the result of examining 5329 identification speciments and 9678 unidentification speciments, and reading relative materials of darkling beetles, there are 360 species(subspecies), belonging to 82 genera, 30 tribes and 6 subfamilies were identified, with one species of Anatloica was discovered for the first time and Microdera kanssuana Kaszab, 1957 was firstly recorded from Inner Mongolia, China. Accurately statistics of the number and distribution of every subfamily, tribe, genus and species, and the keys to species are provided. The citations of species with information of examined materials are given.2. The two top percentage of composition of subfamilies are Tenebrioninae(154 species)and Pimeliinae(159 species), the total number is 313 species(86.94%); the most diverse composition of tribe is Tentyriini(123 species) and Opatrini(94 species), the total number is 217 species(60.28%); there are 42 genera(51.22%) with only one species; 23 genera(28.05%) with two to five species, and 17 genera(20.73%) with more than 5 species. There are 5 endemic genera(6.10%) and 101 endemic species(28.06%).3. In the 11 realms of zoogeographical region of the world, the distributing type of darkling beetles in the Mongolian Plateau can be classified into 12 types, the distributing type of Palearctic realm is dominant(267 species, 74.17%); the distributing type of Palearctic realm and Sino-Japanese realm(49 species, 13.61%); the distributing type of Palearctic realm and Saharo-arabian realm is the same as Palearctic realm, Oriental realm and Oriental realm(10 species, 2.78%); the distributing type of Cosmopolitan, Afrotropical realm, Nearctic realm, Australian realm and Madagascan realm have little species(less than 3%). Most of them have narrow distribution.4. Using the GIS Map 10.3 to analyze the geographic information for each species, and draw out the distributing maps of total species and six subfamilies in the Mongolian Plateau, the result shows that:(1) The distribution of darkling beetles in the Mongolian Plateau is broad and scattered, mainly distributed in the desert region of Gobi-altai mountains of the central section of Mongolian Plateau, the south of Helan mountains of Mongolian Plateau and the west of Altai mountains of Mongolian Plateau. This three centers of distributions include 309 species(85.87%), other place only include 51 species(14.13%).(2) There are 4 genera 8 species included in the Lagriinae, they are mainly distributed in the bare and poor vegetation area of Mongolian Plateau central, this distribution pattern is caused by the single feeding habit.(3) There are 24 genera 159 species included in the Pimeliinae which can adapt to the desert environment by their special morphological structure, some of them are mainly distributed in the desert area of southwest Mongolian Plateau.(4) There are 32 genera 154 species included in the Pimeliinae which can adapt to the desert and warehouse area, so their distribution is broad in the Mongolian Plateau.(5) The 8 genera 16 species of the subfamily Diaperinae is feed on fungi and rottedwood, they are mainly distributed in Ulaanbaatar and Khentii Province of Mongolian Plateau where have appropriate natural environment and abundant material resources.(6) The 3 genera 3 species of the subfamily Stenochiinae is arboreal, so they are mainly distributed in conifer forest of northern Mongolian Plateau.5. There are three mainly distributional centers of darkling beetles in the Mongolian Plateau, namely Altai mountains of the Mongolian Plateau east; Gobi-altai mountains of the Mongolian Plateau central, Helan mountains.The topography of Altai mountains in the Mongolian Plateau east is complicated, it’s wasteland is suitable for the type of tenebrionid beetles inhabited in soil; the topography of Gobi-altai mountains of the Mongolian Plateau central is the transition zone between desert and forest, so which can offer more habitat to hold insects; the topography of Helan mountains is intersection area about Badain Jaran desert, Tengger desert and Ulanbu desert, whose geographical structure has common and special characters with these three deserts, and which can offer more habitat to accommodate insects.