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RESEARCH PRODUCT

AN OVERVIEW ON THE SUBTERRANEAN FAUNA FROM CENTRAL ASIA

subject

description

Survey of the aquatic subterranean fauna from caves, springs, interstitial habitat, wells in deserts, artificial tunnels (Khanas) of five countries of the former URSS (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) located far east the Caspian Sea. The cave fauna present some originalities: - the rich fauna of foraminiferida in the wells of the Kara-Kum desert (Turkmenistan); - the cave fish Paracobitis starostini from the Provull gypsum Cave (Turkmenistan); - the presence of a rich stygobitic fauna in the wells of the Kyzyl-Kum desert (Uzbekistan); - the rich stygobitic fauna  from  the hyporheic of streams and  wells around the tectonic Issyk-Kul Lake (Kyrgyzstan); - the eastern limit of the European genus Niphargus from the sub-lacustrin springs  on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea (Kazakhstan); - the presence of cave fauna of marine origin. Approximately 96 stygobionts, 9 stygobionts/stygophiles and 3 troglobionts are recorded.