TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY OF RODENTS WITHIN THE LIMITS OF ASIAN ECOLOGICAL TRANSECT

The diversity of rodents is considered at various taxonomic levels wit hin the limits of the Asian ecological transect, which crosses Asia fr om the Taimyr Peninsula in the north to the southern coast of Indostan and embraces territories of seven countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrg yzstan, Mongolia, China, Nepal, and India. The highest diversity of ro dents is observed in the south of West Siberia and in mountains of Mid dle Asia. The least number of all taxa was noted in the Taimyr Peninsu la and in the Tibet region.