FAUNA AN POPULATION OF WOODLICE (ISOPODA, ONISCIDEA) OF ABRAU PENINSULA (THE NORTHWESTERN CAUCASUS)

Fifteen species of terrestrial isopods were found at Abrau Peninsula, three of them are new to the Russian fauna. The majority of species had a Mediterranean range; however, the proportion of cosmopolitic and holarctic species increased. There are endemics of the Western Caucasus. The abundance of woodlice was the highest at the oak-hornbeam forest (276 ind./m(2)). In the forested habitats, Trachelipus razzautii, Armadillidium vulgare, Chaetophiloscia hastata were the most common species. Ligidium sp. were dominating at freshwater coasts; Halophiloscia couchii, Armadilloniscus ellipticus, at seashores. The woodlice fauna of Abrau Peninsula confirms a zoogeographical uniqueness of this area.