neotropical region

2. Neoptropical region
Presented by M.Arslan rasheed
Mphill scholar islamia university bahawalpur

3. Zoogeographical divisions
This region includes
 south America
 Most of Mexico
 west Indies
 caribbean island

4. Boundaries
• It joins the neartic region from central isthmus .
• It is separated from all other regions by Atlanic ocean on eastern side of and
pacific ocean on the western side

5. Map

6. Sub regions
• This is divided into 4 sub-regions.
•
• Chillian sub region
• Brezelian sub region
• Mexicon sub-region
• West Indies sub-region.
•

7. Sub regions
• Chillian Sub-region: It includes West Coast of South America. It contains Ands mountain
ranges Bolivea, Peru, Argentina. ,.
•
• It includes 3 toed Ostrich called Rhea americana, Clamas, Oil birds are common.
•
• 2. Brazelian Sub-region: It includes tropical forests of South America. It shows evergreen
forests. Plains are also seen Rivers are present hence more vegetation is seen. It supports
rich fauna. in this region Amrican Monkey, Blood sucking bats (Vampire) Armadillos are
common. ‘
•

8. Sub regions
.
• Mexican Sub-region: North of isthmus of Panama is called Mexkon sub-
region. This region shows rocky mountains. It is showing sub. tropical
conditions. in this region Tapiers, Mudterrapins etc., are common.
•
• 4. West Indies or Antelian Sub-region: The region contains West Indies,
islands. Trinidad and Tobago are not included in this region. These islands
contain mountains. In this sub-region the Vertebrate fauna is poor.

9. Climate conditions
• This region shows tropical conditions. The southern part of South America shows
temperate zones, because of these varied environmental conditions Luxuriant
forests, Deserts, Plains and Rivers are common.
•
• In the Amazon region thick forests are present. They are all evergreen forests.
• Grassy plains e present in Argentina.
• This region shows Andes Mountains. Because of these conditions good vegetation
is seen and rich fauna is present.
•

10. Fish fauna
• In this region many fresh water fishes are present. The important features of
the regions are the absence of Carps. In this region Cat fishes; Trygonids,
Edi fishes are present.
•
• In South American region one Dipnoi fish is present Lepidosiren is called
South American Fresh water Lung fish.

11. Amphibian fauna
• There are hylid tree frogs such as Brazilian tree frog Hyla,Hylodes, Cuban tree
frog, Venezuelan tree frog that deters predators by foul odour and the
poisonous Phyllomedusa found in Amazon. Leptodactylus deposits its eggs in
frothy mass in holes on muddy banks of rivers and ponds and Hyla
faber makes crater-like nests. The Tungara frog is noisy and makes foam nests.
Tiny frogs belong to the genera Phyllobates,Dendrobates and Agalychnis

12. Amphibian fauna
• The yellow frog is the largest and most toxic and its poison is used by
Colombia tribes to poison their blowgun darts. The dart poison frog is also
highly poisonous. The tongue and toothless Surinam toads show parental
care. The small Chilean frog carries eggs in the gular pouch while the
Brazilian tree frog, Hyla goeldii carries eggs on the back. Caecilians are
represented by Typhlonectes.Oedipus is the only tailed amphibian (Urodela)
found in South America

13. Amphibians fauna
• In this zone 14 families of Amphibians are present 1) Pipa pipa
• 2) Hyla
• 3) Bufo
• 4) Rana etc.
•
• Caecelians are also represented in this region 1) Siphanophis 2) Rainotrema,
Urodeles are very few.

14. Reptilian fauna
• There are plenty of snakes, iguanid lizards, Crocodilus, Caiman (alligator) and
turtles. Xantusiid lizards are endemic. There are tree boas, anacondas, pit
vipers and coral snakes. Mud turtles (Pelomedusidae) are shared with Africa
and snake-neck turtles, Chelodina (Chelidae) with Australia

15. Reptilian fauna
• The reptiles of the sub-region will resemble those of Ethiopian and Oriental zone.
•
• Crocodiles.
• Alligator etc., Crocodiles are common.
•
• Many turtles, and Tortoises are common in this region.
•

16. Reptilian fauna
• 15 families of lizards are represented out of which 5 families are reported in this region.
•
• Helodermidae ( Poison lizard)
• Andidae,
• Crcosauridae etc.
•
• In this region many snakes are present. Coral snakes, Pit vipers, Typhiops and many other snakes
are present.
•

17. Birds
• Almost 50% of the avian fauna is endemic and unique due to which South
America is known as The Bird Continent. Out of 67 families of birds, 25 are
endemic to the region. There are partridge-like tinamous, toucans that carry
enormous beaks, trumpeters, hoatzin, cock of the rock (Rupicola), oil birds
and several species of macaws, such as yellow macaw, Hahn’s macaw, red
bellied macaw and red and blue macaw. Quail is the only member of
Galliformes here. Bee hummingbird found in Cuba measures only 6 cm and
is the smallest bird.

18. Birds
• Avian fauna of this region i striking and peculiar. Hence South America is called Bird
continent. (Neotropical region is referred as Bird continent).
•
• Rhea americana ( 3 toed ostrich) - American Ostrich
• Tinamus (Flightless bird is Endemic to this region)
• Ducks
• Pigeons
• Patrots
•

19. Birds
• Swifts
• Wood peckers
• King fishers
• Starks are common
•
• Ant thrushers, Tree creepers, Oil birds are endemic to this region only.
•

20. Mammals
• There are 32 families of mammals of which 16 are unique.
• Widely distributed animals are shrews, rabbits, squirrels, mice, dogs, bears,
cats and deers.
• Camels are represented by two species of Llama: L. vicuna and L.
guanaco. Llama and Alpaca are domesticated breeds of these species. There
are three species of tapirs of which one species also occurs in the Oriental
Region

21. Mammals
• Monkeys include: spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys, howlers, capuchin,
marmosets which belong to families Cebidae and Hapalidae of suborder
Platyrrhina.
• Endemic mammals include, six-banded
armadillo (Euphractus), armadillo (Dasypus), two-toed sloth (Choloepus), 3-toed
sloth (Bradypus), 3 species of anteaters,(Myrmecophaga), 11 endemic families of
rodent Caviomorpha and five endemic families of bats that include disc-
winged bats, furipterid bats and vampire bats (Desmodontidae), the last one
is also a carrier of rabies

22. Mammals
• Marsupials belong to the family Didelphidae (12 genera) that includes
common opossum (Didelphis) and water opossum (Chironectes) and family
Coenolestidae (3 genera) includes opossum rat (Ceonolestes). The common
opossum has also spread to the Nearctic Region where it has adapted to
varied climatic conditions.
• There are no hedgehogs, moles, beavers, hyenas, bovids and horses in this
region.