Nearctic region

Shahida AZIZ.

1. NEARCTIC REGION
TheregionabovethetropicsofnorthAmericaistheNearcticregion.Towardsnorthit
includesnewfoundland,thearcticarchipelagoandGreenland.Thisregionisknown
as‘headquartersofurodels'.
NorthandsouthAmericahavebeenjoinedattheisthmusofpanamaforthepastthreemillion
years.Beforethis,theywerewidelyseparatedanddifferentgroupsofplantsandanimalsevolved
ineachregion.Oncethetwolandmassesjoined,manyanimalsmovedbetweenthem.Animalsof
northernoriginsuchasllamas,tapirandpumasmovedintosouthAmericaandanimalsof
southernorigin,suchasarmadillos,opossums,andporcupines,movednorthwards.

2. CLIMATE
1.Nearctic region shows great
variations in climatic
condition and temperature.
2.In the north Greenland,
frozen ice is seen.
3.Range of mountains
extended from north to south.
4. In the south west of north
America deserts are present

4. 1. CALIFORNIA SUB-REGION
:ApartofnorthAmericanevadaandcascaderangesandpartofBritishColumbiaare
includedinitnearly86familiesofvertebrateslikehaplodotidaeanielhadevampiresand
freetailedbatsareseeninthissubregion

5. 2. ROCKY MOUNTAIN SUB -REGION:
ItincludesmountainsofeastCaliforniawithnearly107familiesof
terrestrialvertebrates.Goats,haplocerus,prairiedogsandlizardsare
commonlyseen.

6. 3. ALLEGHASY SUB-REGION
: It includes rocky mountain sub-region, lakes of eastern parts of U.S.A.
Vampire bats, star nosed moles, opossums, turkeys and carolina parrots
are present.

7. 4. CANADIAN SUB-REGION
:It includes remaining parts of north America and Greenland. Bison,
gluttons, polar bears, arctic fox, reindeer are commonly seen.

8. FAUNA OF NEARCTIC REGION
.NEARCTIC REGION INCLUDES FISHES, AMPHIBIANS, REPTILES, BIRDS AND
MAMMALS.
FISHES:
Cat fishes, garpike, paddle fishes, and cyprinodonts are commonly present

9. AMPHIBIANS
Amphiuma, salamanders, bufo, amblystoma, hyla, and rana are see in this
region

10. REPTILES
:Rich number of reptiles like, musk turtle, trionyx, emydines, alligators
ophiosaurs, and vipers like pituophis couophis and chilomeniscus are
present

11. BIRDS
:Nearly 39 families of birds including pelicans, heron, humming birds, woodpeckers,
mockingbirds, larks and sand-pipers are present

12. FAUNA OF NEARCTIC REGION
MAMMALS
:Mammals like squirrels, moles, rabbits, beavers, cats, bats, deers, bears,
weasels, opossum, porcupine and armadillo are present. Nearly 24 families
are seen in this region