Zoogeography and Ecological Aspects of the Formation of Horse Fly Fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Turkmenistan

Abstract

The tabanid fauna of Turkmensitan includes 44 species and 4 subspecies belonging to 9 genera and 2 subfamilies. Morphological and ecological analysis of the horse flies is given, and larval stage adaptations are described. 90% of the fauna is comprised of species of south west Asian or Turanian origin. 10 species are Turanian endemics, and 2 are endemics of Turkmenistan. Centres of diversity and abundance are concentrated in the southern deserts of the Irano-Turanian lowland. This area can be considered a faunogenetic centre for the genus Nanorhynchus, subgenera Nemorius and Turanochrysops, and the species groups Tabanus sabuletorum and T. cordiger.