ZOOGEOGRAPHIC GROUPS AND DISTRIBUTION OF RODENTS (RODENTIA) AND LAGOMORPHS (LAGOMORPHA) IN LANDSCAPES OF NORTH-EAST AZERBAIJAN

The article is concerned with the research carried out in three landscapes of the Samur-Divichi and Gonakkend natural-geographical regions. They determined the species composition and geographical origin of rodents in each landscape. A total of 23 species were recorded in three landscapes. Nineteen species are present in one landscape, 17 species in each of the other two landscapes (I, II). In two of the explored landscapes, the species of the Western Asia group predominate. In each of the three landscapes, there are 12 identical rodent species. Specific species also occur in the two landscapes. Rattus norvegicus, an invasive species, was recorded only in the meadow and forest-meadow landscapes of moderately dissected intermontane plains and ravines. The most significant number of specific species were recorded in broad-leaved forest and forest-steppe meadow-shrub landscapes of sharply dissected middle mountains (Chionomys gud; Microtus daghestanicus; Sciurus anomalus). In the noted landscape, the Caucasian endemics (5 species) and species included in the Red Data Book of Azerbaijan (3 species – Hystrix indica; Chionomysgud; Micromysminutus) are most common.