A review of oedemerid and dasytid beetle fauna (Coleoptera, Oedemeridae, Melyridae, Dasytidae) of North Asia
A review of the chortoantobiont beetle fauna of three families, Oedemeridae, Melyridae and Dasytidae, in North Asia, including 29 species of 8 genera 3 tribes and 2 subfamilies of the Oedemeridae, a unique species of Melyridae, and 18 species of 7 genera 4 tribes and 3 subfamilies of the Dasytidae, is presented. The fauna of the families has a southern character with a low number of species in the northern region (Figs 1, 2), and a high number of species throughout the Southern and Far-Eastern regions. Irregularity in taxonomic diversity between the regions shows high number of specific taxa of Oedemeridae in eastern regions and, on the contrary, in western regions of Dasytidae. Vegetation typical of the Southern Kurils and the southern part of the Russian Far East determines ecological niches to specific species that are connected with arboreal plants and specify high «eastern» originality of their fauna of the Far-Eastern region of North Asia. However, the Southern region, especially in the 1st and 2nd areas, is inhabited with widely distributed species with areals which extend from Europe and terminate at this region of North Asia to form the «western» character of the Southern region. Endemism is differently expressed both within the families studied and in the regions of North Asia. In the Southern region most of the endemic species are represented by Dasytidae, namely 8 species (44 % of the total species number in North Asia and 50 % in the Southern region). A unique Melyridae species, Anthodromius kiesenwetteri Redtenbacher, 1850 is only found in the Southern region, and Oedemeridae is represented by two endemic species, 7 % of the total species number in North Asia and 13 % of species number in the Southern region. In the Far-Eastern region a high number of Oedemeridae species and subspecies is registered, namely 14 or 87 % of the total species number. Dasytidae endemics are represented with two species in this region (11 % of the total dasytid-beetle species number for North Asia and 28 % of the Far-Eastern region). The Northern region lacks endemics. The level of beetle endemism in North Asia is 55 % (16 species) in Oedemeridae, 55 % (10 species) in Dasytidae and 100 % (1 species) in Melyridae. 45 % Oedemeridae and 50 % Dasytidae in North Asia are represented by widespread species; the highest number of these amongst Oedemeridae is registered in the Southern region, 13 species (45 % of the total species number in North Asia and 87 % of the species number in the Southern region), and amongst Dasytidae is registered in Far-Eastern region, 5 species (28 % of the total species number in North Asia and 71 % of the species number in the Far-Eastern region). There are five widespread species occurring in all three regions of North Asia, namely, one false blister beetle Oedemera (Oedemera) virens virens (Linnaeus, 1767), and four malachite beetles, Dasytes (Anthoxenus) niger (Linnaeus, 1861), D. (Hypodasytes) obscurus Gyllenhal, 1813, Dolichosoma lineare (Rossi, 1794) and Psilothrix (Dolichomorphus) femoralis (Morawitz, 1862). There are no mutual species in North Asian and North American faunas, similarity can be found only at generic, tribe and subfamily levels.