Corresponding author: Konstantin B. Gongalsky (
Academic editor: S. Taiti
An inventory of the woodlice fauna of the former USSR yielded 190 species, 64 of them were recorded from the territory of Russia. According to the cartographic analysis, the limits of distribution of epigean terrestrial isopods over the area, excluding mountains, is explained by temperature. No woodlice records were found outside the isocline of 120 days a year with the mean daily air temperature >10°C. The highest species diversity was found between the isoclines of 180 and 210 days. These areas correspond to forest-steppe and steppe zones.
Studies of spatial differentiation of various taxa are among the most important frontiers of modern biogeography. For some well-studied groups, mainly, vertebrates and plants, such trends are already discovered (
There is no faunistic list of terrestrial isopods for the territory of the former USSR until now, as well as of the territory of Russia. However, there are extensive regional lists (
The aim of the study is to determine the factors affecting woodlice distribution over the plain area of the former Soviet Union. To achieve this, an inventory of species distribution across the study area was made. The task was to create a database indicating locations with woodlice presence/absence overlaid with several environmental variables values distribution.
The first step was to compile a list of species for the study area. We made a database of isopod presence or absence in the locations across the whole territory of the former USSR (both plains and mountains). For each record the database includes information about date, data source, geographical coordinates, location, isopod species list or information about woodlice absence in the soil fauna list, biotope, and natural zone.
Three types of information sources of terrestrial isopod locations were used: i) available literature on soil fauna surveys; ii) collections of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia) and the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St.-Petersburg, Russia); and iii) authors’ personal collections. Here we provide a list of woodlice from the territory of the former USSR since some species and localities were not included in the list of
For cartographic analysis, 259 locations were chosen, 44 of which with woodlice absence. Due to the difficulty of tracing ecological trends in the mountains, only plain territories were involved into the analysis. Some species were excluded from the analysis: i) synanthropic species and ii) species inhabiting azonal locations, such as sea coasts, caves and anthills.
Then database records with isopod presence or absence locations were laid on the geographic maps to perform cartographic analysis.
The map of woodlice distribution was visually compared with the maps of environmental factors (mean annual temperature; the period with temperature above 10°C; mean precipitation; permafrost distribution; soil pH and soil type; vegetation type; natural zones) found in the Agricultural Atlas of the USSR (
The database is maintained in MS Excel. Cartographic analysis is done in MapInfo 8.5.
Woodlice have not been recorded northwards the isocline of 120 days a year with temperature >10°C (
Map of woodlice presence or absence over the plain territory of the former USSR. The duration of period with temperature >10°C is adapted from Geographical Atlas of the USSR (
In total, 190 species were recorded from the territory of the former USSR (Appendix 1). Among them, 64 were recorded from the territory of Russia. Northernmost natural zone with woodlice records is southern taiga. No woodlice records were in tundra, northern and middle taiga. The species diversity increases southwards, but decreases in the deserts. However, this may be due to the low number of locations extensively studied to reveal local faunas.
Distribution of isopods is known to be limited by natural factors, such as temperature and moisture (
The authors are grateful to Dr H. Schmalfuss and Dr Ch. Schmidt for the help with isopod identifications, and to Dr K.G. Mikhailov and Dr B.V. Mezhov for allowing working with crustacean material kept at Zoological Museum of Moscow State University.
The study is supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 11-04-00245) and the Program “Biodiversity” of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
List of woodlice species from the territory of the former USSR. Abbreviations: Ab – Abkhazia, Ar – Armenia, Az – Azerbaijan, Bl – Belarus, Ge – Georgia, Kz – Kazakhstan, Kg – Kyrgyzstan, Lt – Lithuania, Md – Moldova, Ru – Russia, Td – Tajikistan, Tu – Turkmenistan, Ua – Ukraine, Uz – Uzbekistan; S, N, W, E – south, north, west, east. References to authorships of the species can be found in
1 | Az: Nabran’ | |
2 | Ru: Volgograd region | |
3 | Ar: Khastarak; Az: Baku, Adjikend, Drmbon, Lenkoran, Salyany, Sheki; Ge: Kakhetia, Vashlovan; Ru: Rostov, Stavropol regions, N Osetia | |
4 | Ru: Krasnodar region; Ua: S Crimea | |
5 | Ru: Moscow; Ab: Sukhum | |
6 | Ua: Kiev | |
7 | Ab: Sukhum; Ua: Crimea, Odessa; Ru: Krasnodar region | |
8 | Ua: Crimea | |
9 | Lt: Vilnius | |
10 | Md | |
11 | Ru: Penza, Saratov, Tula regions | |
12 | Ab: Sukhum; Az; Ge: Adygeni, Tbilisi; Ru: Dagestan, Krasnodar, Kaluga, Volgograd, Rostov regions; Ua: Crimea, Kiev, Odessa | |
13 | Ua: Crimea, Zakaspyisk region | |
14 | Az: Baku, Kobustan | |
15 | Ru: Krasnodar region; Ua: S Crimea, Odessa | |
16 | Ru: Krasnodar region; Ab: Gagry | |
17 | Ab: Gudauty region | |
18 | Ge: Tskhaltubo | |
19 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
20 | Ab: Gudauty, Sukhum; Ge: Gogolety | |
21 | Ge: Tskhaltubo | |
22 | Ru: Rostov region | |
23 | Ua: Crimea | |
24 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
25 | Ge: Tskhaltubo | |
26 | Az: Istisu, Lenkoran, Yardymly; Kz: Astana; Ru: Krasnodar region | |
27 | Ru: Rostov, Voronezh, Volgograd regions | |
28 | Ua: Kharkov, Zmiev | |
29 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
30 | Ab: Gudauty, Gagry, Kelassuri, Sukhum; Ge: Kutaisi, Tkibuli, Tskhaltubo, Shovi; Ru: Krasnodar region | |
31 | Ru: Chelyabinsk, Kaluga, Moscow, Rostov, Voronezh regions, Ua: S Crimea, Kiev | |
32 | Ru: Rostov region; Ua: Lugansk region | |
33 | Ru: Rostov, Stavropol regions; Ua | |
34 | Ru: Adygea, Stavropol, Krasnodar regions, N Osetia | |
35 | Ar: Azizbekov, Leninakan, Tshakhkavan; Az: Airidja, Mardakert, Zakatalinsk regions; Ru: Chechnya; Ge: Manglisi, Shuahevi | |
36 | Az: Prishib | |
37 | Ge: Kutaisi | |
38 | Ru: Orenburg region | |
39 | Ua: S Crimea | |
40 | Ru: Rostov region; Ua: Zaporozhye region | |
41 | Ru: Moscow, Rostov, Stavropol regions | |
42 | Ar: W Vanadzor, Spitaki | |
43 | Tu | |
44 | Tu | |
45 | Tu | |
46 | Kg | |
47 | Td | |
48 | Kg; Tu: (Kizil-arvat); Td: Samgar massif | |
49 | Tu | |
50 | Uz | |
51 | Ru: Kamchatka, Sakhalin regions | |
52 | Ru: Krasnodar region; Ua: Crimea | |
53 | Ru: Krasnodar, Rostov regions | |
54 | Tu | |
55 | Tu | |
56 | Td: Samgar massif | |
57 | Td: Samgar massif; Tu: Central Karakum, Kyzyl-Arvat; Uz: Zakaspiysk, Fergana regions; Kg | |
58 | Tu: Kyzyl-Arvat | |
59 | Ru: Rostov, Stavropol regions; Tu: SW part | |
60 | Kz: Semipalatinsk;Tu: Krasnovodsk; Uz: Bukhara, Samarkand, Syrdaryinsk, Zakaspyisk regions | |
61 | Tu | |
62 | Az: Baku | |
63 | Uz | |
64 | Tu; Kz | |
65 | Kz | |
66 | Uz: Bukhara, Samarkand, Syrdaryinsk regions | |
67 | Kz | |
68 | Ru: Volgograd region; Kz: Djanybek | |
69 | Az: Baku | |
70 | Td: Samgar massif | |
71 | Ru: Moscow, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Tula regions; Ua: Kiev region | |
72 | Ua: Crimea | |
73 | Ua: Crimea | |
74 | Ru: Kurily islands | |
75 | Ua: Crimea | |
76 | Kadakh? | |
77 | Ab: Gagry | |
78 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
79 | Ab: Sukhum | |
80 | Md | |
81 | Ab: Sukhum; Bl: Belovezha National Park; Ru: Tver, Kaluga, Moscow regions; Ua: Crimea, Kiev | |
82 | Kz: Alma-Ata | |
83 | Ab: Gagry | |
84 | Td | |
85 | Ua: Crimea | |
86 | Ab: Sukhum | |
87 | Kg | |
88 | Ge: Megrelia | |
89 | Kg | |
90 | Lt: Vilnius; Ru: Pskov region; Ua: Kiev | |
91 | Ar: Daralagez | |
92 | Az: Kutkashen; Ge: Manglisi; Ru: Astrakhan, Stavropol regions, Chechnya, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, N Osetia; Ua: Crimea | |
93 | Ge: Adigeni, Batumi, Kutaisi, Mestia | |
94 | Az: Shikahokh | |
95 | Az: Avash, Dashsalty, Kelbadjar, Kirovobad, Lenkoran, Zuvand | |
96 | Ar | |
97 | Ar | |
98 | Ar: Megri | |
99 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
100 | Td | |
101 | Tu | |
102 | Td | |
103 | Ua: Crimea | |
104 | Ab: Sukhum; Ru: Krasnodar region | |
105 | Bl: Minsk | |
106 | Ar: Sevan | |
107 | Ab: Sukhum; Ru: Altay, Kalmykia, Moscow, Primorie, Rostov regions; Ua: S Crimea, Odessa; Uz: Bukhara region | |
108 | Ua: Crimea | |
109 | Ua: S Crimea | |
110 | Bl: Belovezha, Berezinsky reserves; Lt: Vilnius; Ru: Belgorod, Kaluga, Moscow, Nizhni Novgorod, Primorie, Rostov regions, Kamchatka, S Kuruly islands, Sakhalin; Ua: Kiev, Kremenetz, Vinnickaya region (Yampol’) | |
111 | Bl: Minsk; Lt: Vilnius; Md; Ru: Kaluga, Leningrad, Moscow Pskov regions; Ua: Kiev | |
112 | Ua: Crimea | |
113 | Ua: Crimea | |
114 | Md; Ru: Stavropol region; Ua: Crimea | |
115 | Uz: Nukus | |
116 | Ab: Sukhum; Ar: Shorzha; Az: Baku, Khachmas, Nabran; Ru: Baikal, Volgograd, Krasnodar region, Moscow, Rostov, Saratov regions; Ua: Crimea | |
117 | Ua: Crimea | |
118 | Md | |
119 | Bl: Belovezha Reserve; Ua | |
120 | Tu | |
121 | Kg | |
122 | Kz: Alma-Ata | |
123 | Kg | |
124 | Ge: Megri | |
125 | Ru: Moscow, Nizhni Novgorod, Rostov, Ryazan’ regions; Td: Smagar massif | |
126 | Tu: Bugdaily | |
127 | Tu: Bugdaily | |
128 | Az: Lenkoran, Sara isl.; Tu | |
129 | Ar: Megri | |
130 | Tu | |
131 | Turkestan? | |
132 | Tu | |
133 | Ru: Krasnodar, Rostov regions | |
134 | Ru: Rostov region; Ua: Lugansk region | |
135 | Td: Dushanbe | |
136 | Uz: Tashkent | |
137 | Tu | |
138 | Ru: Volgograd region, Kalmykia | |
139 | Td: Zeravshvan valley | |
140 | Ua: Crimea | |
141 | Ru: Rostov region; Ua: Kiev | |
142 | Td: Smagar massif; Uz: Bukhara, Samarkand, Syrdaryinsk regions | |
143 | Ua: Crimea | |
144 | Md; Ru: Rostov region | |
145 | Az: Baku, Mardakert; Bl: Berezinsky reserve; Kz: Mangyshlak; Tu: Bugdaily; Ru: Moscow, Orenburg, Primorie regions; Ua: Kremenetz, Odessa regions, Uz: Nukus; Zakaspyisk region | |
146 | Kg | |
147 | Ru: Moscow region | |
148 | Md | |
149 | TU: SW part | |
150 | Uz: Tashkent; Td | |
151 | Tu; Ru: Rostov region | |
152 | Ru: Krasnodar, Rostov regions; Ua: Zaporozhye region | |
153 | Tu | |
154 | Tu | |
155 | Kz: Alma-Ata, Uzun-Agach; Ru: Moscow region? | |
156 | Td | |
157 | Ge: Tbilisi | |
158 | Tu | |
159 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
160 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
161 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
162 | Az: Divichi | |
163 | Ar: Shikalyukh; Az: Baku; Ge: Batumi | |
164 | Ru: Rostov region | |
165 | Td | |
166 | Ua: Crimea | |
167 | Ua: Crimea | |
168 | Ua: Crimea | |
169 | Az: E part | |
170 | Ab: Gagry; Ru: Krasnodar region | |
171 | Bl: Belovezha, Berezinsky reserves; Ua: S Crimea | |
172 | Ar: Yerevan | |
173 | Ab: Gagry | |
174 | Ru: Rostov region | |
175 | Ab: Gagry; Ru: Rostov region | |
176 | Ab; Ua: S Crimea | |
177 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
178 | Ab: Sukhum; Az: Airidja; Ar: Chaldyr; Ge: Kutaisi; Bl: Belovezha pusha; Lt: Vilnius; Md; Ru: Belgorod, Kursk, Tver, Maryi-El, Kaluga, Mordovia, Moscow, Penza, Rostov, Leningrad, Saratov, Tula regions; Ua: Crimea, Kiev | |
179 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
180 | Ua: Crimea | |
181 | Md | |
182 | Ab | |
183 | Ab | |
184 | Ua: Crimea, Kiev | |
185 | Ru: Krasnodar region | |
186 | Uz: Tashkent | |
187 | Ru: Primorie region, S Kuril Islands | |
188 | Ua: Crimea, Odessa | |
189 | Ua: Crimea | |
190 | Ua: Crimea |