Zoogeographic distribution and habitat preferences of Orthoptera species (Insecta) from Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (Romania)

Abstract

Arthropods belonging to the class Insecta, Orthoptera species, develop a variety of preferences towards the type of habitat impressive for most of the time. They inhabit the majority of latitudinal (from the equator to the Polar Regions near) and altitudinal (from the dry areas below sea level and up to the alpine region) biotopes. On the other hand, the species of Orthoptera are very diversified in terms of geographical spread, with all major types of distribution – from the endemic forms, characteristic only of a certain areas (exp.: Isophya dobrogensis) until holopalearctic forms with a wide spread across Europe, North Africa and Asia, Palearctic (Gryllus campestris,Tettigonia viridissima, Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa, Tetrix tenuicornis, Calliptamus italicus, Oedipoda caerulescens, Aiolopus thalassinus, Chorthippus brunneus etc.). The Romanian ortopterofauna it was classified in 5 principal classes, each from these containing from 2 to 5 types of near zoogeographic elements: Palearctic, European, central-Asiatic-European, Mediterranean, and Carpatic elements. The classification is based on the fundamental types of distribution, group items from the biogeographic macrozoning of Europe, most of the time, however, taking into account the areas of interference of biogeographic place. Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve territory characterized by the presence of a single endemic species (Isophya dobrogensis on Popina Island) constitute an impressive reservoir of spontaneous genetic resources for an area with a relatively small surface area,Orthoptera species with widespread (at national level in some cases) finding here favorable conditions for the manifestation of the presence.

Keywords

• Orthoptera
• Insecta
• Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve
• Romania
• zoogeographic distribution
• habitat preferences