Abstract
Representatives of the gerbil subfamily (Gerbillinae) are the main components of biocenoses in deserts and semi-deserts. They are the hosts of many flea species and the main vectors of the causative plague agent in a number of natural plague foci. The taxonomic diversity, distribution pattern and host-parasite relationships of flea species noted as parasites of gerbils in the Caucasus are analyzed. Gerbils and their fleas entered the Caucasus from southwest Asia in the Pliocene in parallel to the migration of floral psammophilic complexes. In the Holocene, semi-desert and desert Turanian plants were introduced from the northeast to the Pre-Caucasus, and the fauna of gerbils and their fleas was replenished with several species and subspecies. In accordance with the settlement of carriers and vectors, sandy natural plague foci in Transcaucasia could have existed already in the Pliocene, and in the Pre-Caucasus they were formed no earlier than the Holocene.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.