FAUNA AND BIOTOPIC DISTRIBUTION OF WEEVILS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONOIDEA) OF THE TALOVSKAYA STEPPE SITE OF THE ORENBURG STATE NATURE RESERVE

Abstract

Based on research results 2018-2020 the species composition was established and the analysis of the fauna of weevils (Curculionoidea) of the Talovskaya steppe site of the Orenburg natural reserve was carried out. The research area is located in the very south-west of the Orenburg region near the border with Kazakhstan, in the subzone of the southern steppes of the East of the Russian Plain. 199 species of weevils from 4 families were identified (27 % of the fauna of the Orenburg region). Of these, 9 species are first reported for the fauna of the Orenburg Province. The characteristic features of the weevil fauna of the Talovskaya steppe are: a high proportion of Central Palaearctic species (35 %) (with an insignificant participation of Western Palaearctic forms); a sharp predominance of species of the subboreal complex (steppe and desert-steppe) (58 %) (with a very small number of forest species) and a noticeable proportion of species of the halophilic complex. The data presented in the article allow us to consider the fauna of the Talovskaya steppe as a typical southern steppe fauna. It is characterized by a fairly high species richness and the presence of a number of rare species. This is confirmed by the importance of the protected area for the preservation of the peculiar natural complexes of the southwestern outskirts of Obshchy Syrt.