Oriental Region

Geographic Limits: Oriental Region includes India, southern Sri Myanmar, Thailand,
Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Formosa, Philippines and China. It is bounded by
Himalayas in the north and on west is separated from Palaearctic by mountains and
desert of eastern Iran, but there is no physical boundary in the south-east corner. This
was called Indian Region by Scalater.

Climate: Oriental region is known for its varied physical features. Its present tropical climate,
but northern part of India is temperate. Its eastern part including Myanmar, Indo-China and
N.E. Asia has rain forests. Western peninsular part is desert and southern portion of Indian
Subregion has luxuriant tropical forest. Similarly, Srilanka, Indo-China and Malaysia contain
thick forests.

Fauna
The fauna of Oriental Region exhibits considerable resemblance with that of Ethiopian
Region. The resemblances are so marked that some zoogeographers prefer to club these two
regions under a single realm, the Palaeotropical Region. The fauna is neither rich in endemic
families nor it includes wide spread families.

Fishes: Oriental fish fauna is dominated by Carps and Catfishes. Other families
represented in this region are Notopteridae, Anabantidae, Osteoglossidae, Cypriniformes,
Cobitidae, Nandidae and Mastacembelidae. Homalopteridae and Pristolepidae are exclusive
families.

Amphibians: Tailed amphibians are rare, but tailless amphibians are numerous. These
are Buffonids, Ranids, Hylids, Rhacophorids, Brevicipitids, Discoglossids and Pelobatids. A few
Salamanders (Urodels) and few Caecilians are also present.

Reptiles: Lizards, Snakes and Turtles are plentiful. Emydine turtles, Trionychids and
Testudinies are Oriental turtles and Crocodiles, Gavialis, Geckos, Skinks, Agamids, Chameleons,
Varanus, Lacertids, Typhlops, Leptotyphlops, Colubrids, Pythons, Vipers and Pitvipers are wide
spread forms of Oriental Region. The exclusive forms are Lanthanotus, Uropeltidae and
Xenopelidae.

Birds: Bird fauna is widespread and includes 66 families of which 53 are widely
distributed, three shared with Ethiopian fauna, five with Australian but four have doubtful

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relationship. Woodpeckers, Hornbills, Sunbirds etc., show affinity with Ethiopian region. Parrots
are few but Pigeons and Pheasants are very numerous. Shrikes, Hoopes, Honeyguides, Sunbirds
and Finches are less numerous. Peacock is the Indian bird.

Mammals: There are thirty mammalian families of which only four are endemic. These are
Shrews, Rabbits, Squirrels, Circetids, Murid mice, Dogs, Mustellids, Cats and Bovids. It shares
Hedgehogs, Porcupines, Civets, Hyaenas and Pigs with both Palaearctic and Ethiopian Regions.
Elephants, Rhinoceros and Chevortains, etc, are shared with the Ethiopian Region. But this region
contains Moles, Bears, Tapirs and Deer. The exclusive families of this region are Tree shrews,
Tarsiers, Cynocephalus, Spiny dormouse, Flying lemurs and Indian bison.

The oriental region is divided into four subregion:

1. Indian Subregion : It includes Central and Northern India from river and foot of
Himalayas southwards up to Goa and Karnataka. It is characterised by presence of
123 families, of which only Elachis todontidae (Colubrine snake Antelope, Black
buck, Indian bear, Shield tails, Peacock and Indian bison are peculiar fauna of this
subregion.

2. Ceylonese Subregion : It includes Indian Penninsula and island of Sri Lanka. It

is characterised by the presence of Shield tails, Loris and one species of Spring rats.

3. Indo-China Subregion : It includes China south of Palaearctic boundary,

Myanmar and Thailand. It contains as many as 138 families. Panda, Takin and
Hapalomyx are peculiar to this subregion. It also contains Gibbons, Flying lemurs,
Java rhinoceros, Malayan tapir, Disc-tongued frogs and Salamander.

4. Indo-Malayan Subregion : It includes Malayan Penninsula and all the islands of

Malayan Archipelago, i.e., Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Bali, Celebes. Philippine and
Nicobar Islands, usually associated with Andamans are more Malayan in their fauna.
The islands of this subregion are separated from each other by a considerable
expanse of sea. This subregion contains 132 families. Orangutan (Siama), Proboscis
monkey (Nasalis), and Malayan badger (Mydous), Tupaia, Gibbons and Flying
lemurs, Rhinoceros, Malayan tapir and Broad bills are the forms found in Indo-
Malayan Subregion.