SPONGIPHORIDAE

Popham, Edward J., 2000, The geographical distribution of the Dermaptera (Insecta) with reference to continental drift, Journal of Natural History 34 (10), pp. 2007-2027 : 2017

SPONGIPHORIDAE (5 LABIIDAE )

( Map 8 )

The order of these subfamilies (table 7) is that of Sakai (1982).

The centre of evolution of the subfamilies has been determined with reference only to those countries, which were once part of Gondwanaland. The family tree is shown in ®gure 5. This ®gure shows that six of the eight subfamilies occur in South America, four in Africa and three in the Orient. This with the occurrence of 172 out of 418 (41%) species in South America suggests that this family had a neotropical origin and then spread eastwards through Gondwanaland to reach Australia, before the proto-continent started to be divided (map 8). Only the Anisolabidae has a slightly wider geographical circumtropical distribution than the Spongiphoridae , implying that these are probably the oldest for®culine families.

Figures

MAP 8. Distribution of the Spongiphoridae.