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Australian region.
This document provides an overview of biogeography and the fauna of the Australian region. It discusses the history and branches of biogeography, including zoogeography and phytogeography. It describes the six zoogeographical regions and notes the unique characteristics of the Australian region, including its isolation after separating from Gondwana landmass. The document summarizes the peculiar mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian families found in the Australian region and its subregions of Australia, Austromalayan, Polynesian, and New Zealand. It provides examples of characteristic species such as marsupials, monotremes, flightless birds, and venomous snakes that demonstrate the region's distinctive fauna.
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Australian region.
- 1. An introduction ofBiogeography and detail study of Fauna of Australian Region Prepared and Presented by : Pradip subedi
- 2. Biogeography The branchof biology which deals with the geographical distribution of animals and plants is called Biogeography. Biogeography is a branch of geography that studies the past and present distribution of the world's many species.
- 3. History of biogeography The study of biogeography gained popularity with the work of Alfred Russel Wallace in the mid-to-late 19th Century. Wallace, originally from England, was a naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, and biologist. He first extensively studied the Amazon River and then the Malaya Archipelago (the islands located between the mainland of Southeast Asia and Australia). During his time there, he examined the flora and fauna and came up with the Wallace Line - a line that divides Indonesia apart and the distribution the animals found there. Those closer to Asia were said to be more related to Asian animals while those close to Australia were more related to the Australian animals. Because of his extensive early research, Wallace is often called the "Father of Biogeography."
- 6. Zoogeography The branchof the science of biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution of animal species The branch of the science of biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution of plant species. Phytogeography
- 7. Six zoogeographical regions - A. Palaeartic region:- it includes Europe, temperate Asia, North Africa and Arabia B. Nearctic region:- It includes North America and Greenland. C. Ethiopian region:- It includes whole of Africa, Arabia, South of the trophic cancer and Madagascar. D.Neotropical region:- It includes whole of south and central America and West indias. E. Australian region: It includes New guinea and Neighboring Islands. F. Oriental region:- It includes India, Srilanka, Indochina Nepal and Malaya.
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- 9. Extent Australian regionincludes the whole of Australia, New zealand, New Guinea and neighboring islands and practically the whole islands in the pacific ocean. The major islands are: New Zealand and Auckland island, Tasmania and Australia
- 10. Climate The northernpart of the region, north Australia and New Guinea lies with in the tropics with high summer temperate and much other the area is covered by rain forest. The interior of Australian continent is also hot but dry. While further south the climate becomes mainly temperate.
- 11. Fauna of AustralianRegion : Many Zoogeography workers thought that Australia and America might have connected by a landmass. This landmass is called “Gondwana landmass”. Because of this landmass the fauna of Australia and America are similar. But after sometime this Gondwana landmass was submerged, Australia as separated. Hence Australian fauna become isolated. In this region Eutherian mammals were not invaded because of the absence of Carnivorous Eutherians. Marsupials have in- creased in their number. Many important Marsupials were developed.
- 13. Zooogical Characteristics Thereare 134 families of terrestrial vertebrates among them 30 are peculiar. Mammals- 8 Birds- 17 Reptiles- 3 Amphibians- 2
- 14. Mammals Peculiar families Macropodidae(Kangaroos) Phalangeridae ( Phalangers) Phascolorctidae (Koala) Peramelidae(Bandicoots) Notoryctidae( Marsupial mole) Dasyuridae( Dasyurus) Echidnidae(Echidna) Ornithorhynchidae( Ornithorhynchus)
- 15. Other mammals arerepresented by:- Dendrologous Pteropus (Flying fox), Ratus ratus (Rat), Equs equs (Horse) Equs acinus (Donkey) Sus (Pig).
- 16. 1. Kangaroo 2.Dasyrus 3.Phalangers 4. koala
- 17. Spiny ant eaterDuck Billed Platypus Bandicoot
- 18. Fox with wings≠flying fox
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- 20. Birds 58 familiesof birds are present 44 families of birds are more or less widely distributed. Among them 17 are peculiar .
- 21. Peculiar birds ofAustralian region Birds of paradise Bower Birds Honey eaters Drepains Scrub birds Own parrots Kagu Crowned pigeons Tooth billed pigeon Kiwis Emu Crosso waries
- 22. In this regionflightless birds are common. 1) Apteryx (Kiwi); It is present only in Newzealand. 2) Dromaeus (Emu) New Guinea.’ 3) Cr0sso waries -Present in Australia.
- 23. Common Avian FaunaShared with Oriental region These flightless birds are common in this region. The other birds can be seen in this region are 1) Pigeon (Columbia livia) 2) Duck 3) Crane 4) Crow 5) Passer domesticus (Sparrow) 6) Tooth billed pigeon.
- 24. Birds of Paradise Honeyeater Bower bird Kagu Scrub birds
- 25. Kiwi Crowned Pigeon Toothbilled Pigeon
- 27. Reptiles Pygopodiae( scalefooted lizard) Hatterridae (Tuatra) Carettchelydidae (Fly river Turtle) Uniquely, Australia has more venomous than non-venomous species of snakes Reptiles in Australian Region: 1) In Newzealand snakes are absent. 2) Sphenodon is seen only in this region. 3) Varanus (Monitor Lizard) 4) Chamaeleon 5 Calotes versicolor 6) Mabuya etc 7) Testudo elegans 8) Trionyx 9) Caretta caretta…..Reptiles are seen.
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- 31. Amphibians Ceratobatrachidae (Ceratobatrachus) Genyophrynidae ( Genophyrne) There are very few amphibians. The common toad and tailed amphibians are absent while Hyla and Rana are the Australian representative frogs. Rana species, Hyla arbouria , Micro hyla, Rhachophorus, Alytes etc., Amphibians are common.
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- 33. Fishes in Australianregion : In this region the most important fish is a lung fish. Ceratodous is seen in this region. It is called “Australian Lung Fish”. In this region many other fresh water and marine fishes are present. 1) Scoliodon. 2) Macarell. 3) Cynoglosus. 4) Catla catla. 5) Anabas. 6)Saccobranchus.
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- 35. Subregion of AustralianRegion a) Australian subregion. b) Austromalayan Subregion. c) Polynesian Subregion. d) Newzealand Subregion.
- 36. a) Australian Subregion : It includes whole Australia and Tasmania. This region is located towards Southwest of Pacific ocean. In this region very peculiar fauna is seen. It is because this part is separated from the main land by a big stretch of Ocean. It shows tropical and temperate climate. In this subregion 34 genera of marsupials included. Hence it is called “Home of Marsupials”. Tailed Amphibians are-reported in this region. Flightless birds like Emus are included in this region.
- 37. Australian subregion: Homeof marsupials
- 38. b) Austromalayan Subregion: It includes all the islands of the Malaya archipelago not included in the oriental region together with New guinea and Solomon islands. In this sub region there are 113 families of terrestrial vertebrates of which 4 are peculiar. Crowned pigeon Fly river turtle Bower Birds Honey eaters Loris etc
- 39. c) Polynesian Subregion The rest of the islands as far north as the Tropic of Cancer and including the Sandwich Islands are embraced in the Polynesian sub-region. Tooth billed Pigeons are common.
- 40. d) Newzealand Subregion In this region Newzealand, Auckland, campbell and Macquaire islands are included In this subregion Newzealand is included. 1) In this subregion snakes are absent 2) Sphenodon a living fossil is confined to this region only. 3) In this region Kiwi flightless birds are present. Kiwi is the National bird of Newzealand. 4) Rats and Bats are common. 5). Only one frog Liopelma is peculiar.
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