A zoogeographical analysis of true bugs (Insecta, Heteroptera) from Uzbekistan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to perform a zoogeographic analysis of terrestrial true bugs (Heteroptera) in the Lower Amudarya Territory, Uzbekistan. According to the findings of a literature review, there are 149 species of terrestrial hemipterans in the Territory. All hemipteran species, with the possible exception of five, have most likely been misidentified. Until now, reliable information on the zoogeography of true bug species in Uzbekistan’s north-western region has not been published. The composition of species, diversity, and the proportion of endemism vary greatly across the country’s zoogeographic regions. The Heteroptera fauna of the Khorezm and Karakalpakstan can be divided into four groups: most species belonging to the Palaearctic region, with 125 species constituting 83.89% of the fauna; the second group of Holarctic origin is characterized by no more than ten species, which constitutes 6.71%; the third consists of endemics, 13 species or 8.72%; and one species (0.67%) is cosmopolitan. Much more research is needed to investigate distributions in a more northern climate. The introduction of invasive Heteroptera to the north-western part of Uzbekistan will increase and deserves further consideration.