Az Alpokalja természeti képe közlemények 3. (Praenorica - Folia historico-naturalia. Szombathely, 1996)

PRAENORICA Folia historico-naturalia, Ш (1996) SUMMARY LEAF BEETLE FAUNA OF WESTERN TRANSDANUBIA (HUNGARY) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae sensu lato) In this present study the author surveys the leaf beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae sensu lato) of Western Transdanubia, Hungary. The number of species found in the area and indicated on the bases of the literature is 352. The territory of Western Transdanubia is ofien called as the Western Hungarian border-region {Nyugat-magyarországi-peremvidék). It is not a separate region since it is located in the junction of regions with unique geographical features. Thus, the correctness of the name „Western Hungarian border-region" may be questioned, but it seems, however, the best name can be used in this paper. The region comprises the Sopron Mountains (Soproni-hegység), the Kőszeg Mountains (Kőszegi-hegység) with the Vas Mountain (Vas-hegy) and the Fertő Region Hills (Fertő-melléki-dombság), the gravelled plain in the Rába region (Rábántúli kavicstakarós síkság) the ridge of the Vasi Hills (Vasi-Hegyhát) and Kemenes Hills (Kemeneshát), as well as the Western Zala Hills (Nyugat-zalai-dombság) and the Eastern Zala Hills (Kelet-zalai-dombság) (ÁDÁM, 1975). As it can be seen, the area called Alpokalja" (Praenoricum or „Hungarian Foot of the Alps") is only a part of the Western Hungarian border region (see map on page 5). As stated by the late Ernő HORVÁTH (former Head of the Department of Natural History of Savaria Museum, Szombathely), under the framework of the research project „Natural History of Praenoricum" (Alpokalja Természeti Képe Kutatási Program) the area surveyed comprised „the entire territory of Vas county, parts of Győr-Sopron county west to the river Repce, the area in Zala county that stretches as far as the Praenoricum floristic province. ... Later, we wish to extend this area as far as the line of the natural occurrence of Scottish pine (Pinus silvestris) (HORVÁTH, 1979). In this study the author's consideration covers the area specified by Ernő HORVÁTH, that is supplemented by the connecting territory of the Western Hungarian border region as defined by ÁDÁM (1975). The name „Western Hungarian border region" is a comprehensive name for the heterogeneous areas at the junction of the Carpathian Basin and the Eastern Alps. These areas are effected by Pannonian, Alps-Atlantic and sub-Mediterranean influences, although unique features can be witnessed in case of each separate area. It is a result of diverse geomorphological, geological and pedological effects. Besides the influences mentioned above, the distribution of plants and animals is mainly effected by climatic influences in the region. The Western Hungarian border region is one of the most balanced climatic areas in the Carpathian Basin. The foremost characteristic features is its continental-temperate climate resulting from 169