Turkish Journal of Zoology
Abstract
In this study, the distribution of endemic leaf beetles in Türkiye was analyzed holistically at the provincial scale using species richness (ENR), corrected weighted endemism (CWE), and range-restricted endemism (RRE) indices. A total of 95 endemic taxa were found in Türkiye and these taxa exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity in terms of richness and extent of distribution. The Western and Central Taurus Mountains and the Eastern Black Sea Region were found to be the main centers of endemism, with high densities of narrowly distributed and geographically restricted species. These patterns clearly demonstrate that key biogeographic factors, such as steep elevation gradients, strong orographic barriers, habitat fragmentation, and host plant restrictions, favor long-term isolation and local speciation. In contrast, the more uniform topography of Western Anatolia and the Marmara Region generally exhibits low endemism values. The strong spatial overlap between leaf beetles and plant endemism suggests that host specialization plays a significant role in shaping distribution boundaries. Overall, the findings highlight that Türkiye’s mountainous areas contain critical refuge areas harboring unique endemic leaf beetle communities and that these regions should be prioritized in biodiversity conservation strategies.
DOI
10.55730/1300-0179.3264
Keywords
Chrysomelidae, corrected weighted endemism, range restricted endemism, endemism centers, Türkiye, plant endemism
First Page
199
Last Page
212
Publisher
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
ŞEN, İ, & GÖK, A (2026). Endemism patterns of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Türkiye. Turkish Journal of Zoology 50 (4): 199-212. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0179.3264
