North Eurasia
North Eurasia extends from the British and Irish Isles and northern Africa to Siberia. We currently recognize only 47 species (10 genera) from that whole region. However, as we have discussed elsewhere, malacologists using the Comparatory Method have estimated a significantly higher diversity. The North Eurasian assemblage is represented by two families: Unionidae and Margaritiferidae.
North Eurasia is divided among three subregions. The Europe-Maghreb Subregion (EU1; 8 gen, 35 spp.) extends from the Atlantic to the Ural Mountains, including northern Africa. The Tigris-Euphrates Subregion (EU2; 7 gen, 16 spp.) is composed of the streams of the Levant and the large rivers draining to the Persian Gulf. The large, relatively depauperate internal basins of Central Asia and middle Russia form the Central Subregion (EU3; 2 gen, 3 spp.).
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Endemic species are marked with an asterisk (*). Europe-Maghreb Subregion (EU1)
Tigris-Euphrates Subregion (EU2)
Central Asia Subregion (EU3)
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