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Here is an essay on the ‘Zoo-Geographical Regions of the World’ especially written for school and college students.
1. Essay on Palaearctic Region:
The areas of this region extend to whole of the Europe, China, Japan, Africa, North Sahara, Siberia, Mediterranian, Manchuria, Asia north of Himalaya and north of Arabia. The region is surrounded by sea from three sides viz. West, North and East; and on the southern side by Sahara and Himalayas. It has got a continuous connecting-link with its two neighbouring regions of Ethiopian and Oriental.
The climate is chiefly temperate having arctic tinge in it. It includes both wet forest lands and dry open steppe land, large area of coniferous forest and some tundra. Thus, great degree of climatic-variability is exhibited and variations in the fauna are also found as the natural rule.
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Fauna:
The fauna is dominant and rich in warmer areas; diminishes northward and ultimately in arctic area only some fresh water fishes or Rana species (frog) are found. The fauna of Palaearctic region exhibits similarity with fauna of Neoarctic region and a number of genera and families are common to both the regions, it clearly supports that there might have existed some land-bridges in between the two regions during earlier times. Palaearctic region possesses 33 families of mammals, 68 of birds, 24 of reptiles, 10 of amphibians and 13 families of freshwater fishes.
Fishes:
The freshwater fishes include many species of Cyprinids, a few localized catfishes, cobitridis choundis etc.
Amphibians:
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They are varied and rich and include Rana, Toad, Hyla, Necturus, Proteus, Siren etc. The Giant Salamanders are found both in Palaearctic as well as Neoarctic regions.
Reptiles:
The region is poor in reptilian stock and there are a few species of snakes. True Vipers, Asian Pit-vipers and Colubirds are the only snakes found in this region. In northern portion however, Trionyx and Tertudo, Alligator of China, Naranus, Chamdan and Sand Boas etc. are found.
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Birds:
About 53 families of birds are presented by the region and about 17 families are widely distributed and are also met in other regions of the world. The bird species found include Hawks, Herons, Storks, Bucks, Loons, Rails, Grebes, Wrenks, Cuckoos, King-fishers, Wood-peckers, Shallows, Crows, Finches, Warblets, Old world flycatchers. Hedge- sparrows are exclusively confined to this region, whereas Parrots are absent.
Mammals:
Out of 33 families of mammals found, only two are endemic. The important mammalian fauna include Moles, Shrews, Pandas, Pigs, Rabbits, Squirrels, Deer, number of Dog and Cat families.
Palaearctic region has further been sub-divided into:
(i) European sub-region
(ii) Mediterranean sub-region
(iii) Siberian Sub-Region:
The families of Yak, Musk deer and Moles are exclusively confined to this sub-region.
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(iv) Manchurian Sub-Region:
Great Panda, Tibetan Langurs, Chinese Water-deer are confined in this sub-region only.
2. Essay on Neoarctic Region:
The geographical limits of Neoarctic region comprises of North America above tropics, New Found land and Mexican plateau, and Greenland. It is connected by a narrow strip with Central America and from all other sides is surrounded by the sea.
The climatic conditions are varied and extreme, and similar to Palaearctic region. It has extensive mountain ranges in the west running to north to south. There are coniferous belt, deciduous forests in the eastern part of North America and grasslands in the central part and also the arid zone in the south-west part of North America.
Fauna:
Fauna of this region are transitional and represent the mixture of Palaearctic and Neo-tropical regions. There are about 26 families of mammals, 49 of birds, 21 of reptiles, 14 of amphibians and 24 of fishes.
Fishes:
13 genera of Cyprinidae, Cat fishes, Sturgean etc.
Amphibians:
Tailed amphibian such as Axolotal, Ambystoma and Siren are notable. Among tailless are Rana, Bufo and Hyla.
Reptiles:
Quite varied are found in abundance having a mixture of Tropical American groups and Palaearctic. The common reptiles are Musk Turtle, Crocodiles and Alligators. Lizards include Geekas, Ophisaurus. Heloderma is found only in south-west Central America. Snake includes the Pit-vipers, Cesal snakes and Rattle snake. Snapping-turtle, Heloderma and Musk-turtle are endemic to this region.
Birds:
There are 49 families of birds, of which 32 are widely distributed and present mixture of Neo-tropical and Palaearctic regions. The common birds are Pelicans, Grebes, Vultures, Rails, Cranes, Cuckoos, Gulls, Pigeons, Owls, Herons, Hawks, King-fishers, Humming-birds, Woodpeckers, Wax-wings flycatchers.
Mammals:
Most commonly found mammals are Rabbits, Shrews, Moles, Squirrels, Beavers, Cats, Bats, Bears, Deer, Flying squirrels, Tree porcupines, Star-nosed moles, Canadian porcupines, Long-legged bats and American badger which are the exclusive form of mammals found in Neo-arctic region.
3. Essay on Ethiopian Region:
It includes Africa, South of Sahara, Madagascar and South Arabia. All other sides are surrounded by sea except the land link with northern Palaearctic region. The climatic condition is tropical and due to this there is lush growth of evergreen tropical rain forests.
Fauna:
This region is very rich and colourful in its fauna. The birds and mammals present great degree of affinity with the Oriental region; while the fish, amphibian and reptile resemble with Neo-tropical and Oriental regions. There are about 161 families of terrestrial vertebrates in this region.
Fishes:
Carps, Cat fishes, Cyprinodants and Cichlids, Protopterus of lung- fishes, Archaic Bichris and a few Cat-fishes are exclusive of this region.
Amphibians:
Only tailless amphiba are represented by the families Bufonids, Ranids, Rhaephonids and Caecilians. Rana and Bufo are absent. Tailed amphibia are also absent.
Reptiles:
It includes Crocodiles, Turtles, Lacertid and Agamid lizards. Chandeon is almost exclusive. Pythons, Colubirds, Typhlops, Viperids and Leptotyphons represent snakes of this region.
Birds:
The most exclusive birds of the region are Ostriches, Helmet birds, Hammer-headed birds, Pitta and Mouse-birds. The common birds are Herons, Hornbills, Cuckoos, Weavers, Storks, Goat-suckers, Parrots, Larks, Pigeons, Bee-eaters, Finches, and Bustards etc. There are 67 families of the birds found in this region and out of which 53 are worldwide.
Mammals:
There are about 38 families of mammals in this region, out of which about 10 families are exclusive and the rest are shared with Palaearctic or Oriental region. Most widely distributed mammals are Bats, Shrews, Rabbits, Squirrels, Dogs and Cats. The Oriental mammals present here are quite different from that of Oriental one and include Lemurs, Loris, Apes, Elephants, Rhinoceros etc.
The exclusive families include Hippopotamus, Giraffes and Rodents. In addition, species of Zebra and other large number of Antelopes are unique to this region. The species of Bear, Deer, Goat and Sheep are entirely absent in this region.
4. Essay on Oriental Region:
It includes the entire Indian sub-continent, Indochina, Philippines and South China. The region abounds varied climatic conditions. The region is represented by tropical rain forests in Burma, Indochina, Northeast Asia and Southern parts of India. Temperate climate includes northern part of India.
Fauna:
The fauna of Oriental region exhibits considerable affinity with Ethiopian region and the resemblance is so great that some zoogeographers have preferred to put both these regions into one region under the name Palaeotropical region. The families of the region are widely distributed.
Fishes:
Dominated by, Carps and Cat-fishes. Other fish families include Cobitidae, Osteoglossid, Notopteridae, Cypriniformis and Anabantidae.
Amphibians:
Mostly tailless amphibians such as Rana, Bufo, Hylids and Rhaeophosids are numerous. Salamanders and Caecilidus are also found.
Reptiles:
All the important genera of snakes like Python, Vipers and Pit-vipers, Colubirds, Typhlops and Leptotyphops are widely present. Among lizards; Chanebons, Varanus, Agamids are present. Crocodilus polustris and Gavialis gangeticus are found in India. Turtles are represented by Trionychids, Testudinius and Eumydine turtles.
Birds:
Pigeons and Pheasants are very numerous. There are 66 families, out of which 52 are widely distributed. Eurylaemidae (Peacock) is the only one exclusive bird family. Other birds found are Peacock (the National Bird of India), Woodpeckers, Hornbills, Parrots, Honey guids, Sunbirds and Finches.
Mammals:
Mammals include four exclusive families of Hylobatiodae (Gibbons), Tarsidae (Tarsiers), Galeopithecidae (Flyling-lemurs) and Tupaiidae (Tree-shrew). There are 30 mammalian families in this region. The most common mammals are Shrews, Rabbits, Squirrels, Dogs, Mustelids, Cats, Bovids, Civets, Hyaenas, Pigs, Porcupines, Apes, Pangolins, Elephants, Rhinoceros, Old World Monkeys, Moles, Bears and Deer are found widely distributed; though interestingly enough, these animals are absent in Ethiopian region.
In the perspective of earth’s history, the present position of India is of recent origin and it forms a part of the Oriental region in Zoogeographic classification. Tens of millions of years ago, India was not even part of Asia. It was an island-continent, edging slowly northwards towards Asia across a vanished ocean which also isolated Africa from Eurasia.
All that remains of the vanished ocean, referred to as the Tethys, are the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian seas. Geological movements, about 15 million years ago, joined the landmasses of India and Africa with Asia and Europe resulting in the formations of the Himalayan massif in Asia and the Alps and the Caucasus mountains in Europe.
Land-bridges were also established between Africa, Europe and Asia. Faunal changes apparently took place over the three continents during the Caenozoic period, wherever climatic and ecological limitations favoured such exchanges. Though the exact nature of such exchanges is not clear, fossil remains in the “Siwalik” throw a great deal of light on the North Indian fauna during the Tertiary period.
Amongst the giant creatures existing, were the Mastodons, and some eleven species of Elephants. Along with them lived the Siwalik Bison, Buffalo, Ox, Tamarau as well as the recent African elements such as Hippopotamus, Giraffe, and Chimpanzee etc. Rhinoceros of varied kinds and the magnificent four-horned ruminant, Siva therium also lived there.
The presence of these animals indicates that the area was covered with savannah and woodlands and had African links. There was a total eclipse of some forms which left no descendants while some forms evolved into others, and some escaped by chance and are still thriving today.
The Asiatic Lion, Striped-hyaena and the Antelopes can be said to be the relics of the past. Most exciting of all Siwalik discoveries, are a few jaw-fragments of Ramapithecus, a very primitive Hominid Ape belonging to Man’s own family.
For some years, archaeologists have thought that Ramapithecus may have been directly ancestral to man, but more complete remains of the animal from East Africa suggest that it may be only another curious sideline of ape-evolution.
5. Essay on Australian Region:
This region contains Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea and other islands. This region is completely isolated and has no link with any other region of the world. In this region, both tropical and temperate climatic-conditions are found. The northern part of Australia and New Guinea are tropical while Tasmania is temperate; the interior areas of North Australia are arid.
Fauna:
This region has unique faunal significance but the region is very poor in animal population and the most interesting thing is the absence of higher mammals. Marsupials and Monotremes are found only in this part of the world.
Fishes:
Osteoglossids and Neoceratodus are found.
Amphibians:
Hyla and Rana are found in this region while tailed amphiba are absent.
Reptiles:
Among snakes, Python and Biting tiger-snake are found in abundance. Other reptiles include Crocodile, Turtle, Geekos, Varanus, Typhops and Colubrids.
Aves:
About 58 families of the birds are found in this region, out of them 44 are widely distributed. Of these 12 families are exclusive of this region. The common-birds are Trogan, King-fishers, Hawks, Pigeons, Cuckoos, Parrots etc. The families of parrots, cuckoos, loris and pigmy-parrots, wood-swallows, flower-peckers and megapodes are shared with Oriental region.
The exclusive families include Cassowaries, Enius, Megapodes, Honey-suckers, Scrub-birds, Flower-peckers, Bell-magpies, Owlet frog marth, Bower birds, Legendary birds of paradise. The most important bird of New Zealand is the flightless Kiwi.
Mammals:
In the Australian region, there is complete absence of higher placental mammals and sole representation of Monotremes and Marsupials constitute the peculiarity and uniqueness of the region. Among monotremes are Echidna and Ornithorhynchus. Among marsupials are Dasyurus, Perameles, Bandicoot, Opossum, Wombat and Phascolomys. In addition, there are Mice, Australian Dogs and Squirrel.
6. Essay on Neotropical Region:
This regions consists South America, Central America, tropical low land of South Mexico and West Indies. The general climatic condition is tropical; the southern part of South America has temperate zone. Due to the tropical climate, extensive evergreen forests are found in the Amazon Valley while in Argentina and Saveinna tracts have drier patches and in the Western South America sub-desert conditions are found.
Fauna:
In this region; out of 155 families of the terrestrial vertebrates, about 39 are absolutely endemic. The region has both distinctive and varied fauna.
Fishes:
There is complete absence of Cyprinidae in this region. The region is dominated by Cat-fishes, Gymnoitids and Electic-fishes. One genera of Lung-fishes (Lepidosiren) showing discontinuous distribution is present.
Amphibians:
The most common in tailless amphibians are Hyla, Rana, Bufo and Pipa. There are 14 families of amphibia.
Reptiles:
Varieties of reptilian fauna are present in this region and include Crocodiles, Alligators, Turtles and Tortoises. There are 15 families of Lizards in which Helodermidae, Anadiadae, Chircocolidae, Cercosauridae and Iphisiadae are peculiar. But the families Varanidae and Agamidae are absent.
Aves:
South America is called as “Bird Continent” on account of the diverse presence of birds. There are about 67 families of birds of which about 23 families are restricted and two others are confined to this region only. American Ostrich (Rhea) and Tinamus are endemic to this region. The common birds are Storks, Barets, King-fishers, Herons, Wood-peckers, Ducks, Pigeons and Plovers.
Mammals:
There are about 32 families of mammals in this region. The Opossum marsupials are present and Sloths, Armidallos, New World Monkeys, Rabbits, Deer, Squirrels and New World Porcupines as well as 11 families of rodents are commonly found in this region. Moles, Hyaenas and Hedgehogs are absent in this region.