Plate tectonics and the distribution of the insect family philotarsidae (order psocoptera) in the southwest pacific
Abstract A study of SW Pacific Psocoptera in the last decade has revealed the existence of a subfamily (3 genera, 65 species) of the Philotarsidae which is confined to the eastern section of the Indo-Australian Plate. Of the 3 constituent genera, one (2 species) is confined to New Zealand, another (31 species) to the Inner Melanesian Arc, and the third (32 species) to Australia, the Inner Melanesian Arc, New Zealand and islands of the New Zealand Plateau. The other subfamily (4 genera, 86 species) includes a genus (5 species) which is basically Holarctic; one (19 species) which extends from southern Africa through the Oriental Region to Australia, the Pacific islands and South America; a southern genus (34 species) whose distribution excludes Africa and is weakly represented in the Australian area; and one newly discovered genus (28 species) confined to Australia, Melanesia, New Zealand and South America. The significance of plate tectonics and the possible roles of fragmentation and dispersal are discussed in relation to these distribution patterns.