Myrmecophilic Zygentoma (Insecta: Apterygota) from the ibero-balearic fauna Biogeographic remarks: Proceedings of the Xth international Colloquium on Apterygota, České Budějovice 2000: Apterygota at the Beginning of the Third Millennium

Abstract

Sixteen species of myrmecophilic Zygentoma have been found in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic islands, 14 of them belonging to Lepismatidae (Neoasterolepisma and Tricholepisma) and two to Ateluridae (Atelura and Proatelurina). All of them are only distributed over the Mediterranean subregion, being absent from the European subregion. According to their general pattern of distribution 4 groups can be distinguished: endemic (6), ibero-maghrebian (6), western mediterranean (1) and circummediterranean species (3). With regard to the specific distribution within the Iberian Peninsula, 4 especies (N. curtiseta, P. pseudolepisma, N. lusitana and N. spectabilis) are widespread, but the two latter are practically absent from the NE quadrant. The more local species can be grouped into four distribution patterns, termed here as “northern iberolevantin”, “southern iberolevantin”, “iberolevantin” and “southern iberoatlantic”. The origin of these patterns is discussed. The highest density of endemic species (T. indalica, N. gauthieri calva, N. pallida and A. valenciana) is found in the southeastern part of the Peninsula; corresponding with the preference for arid sites of these insects. The distribution of non-endemic species suggests two groups of different geographic origin: species colonizing the Peninsula from the south, through the Gibraltar intercontinental bridge (iberoatlantic and southern iberolevantin species) and species colonizing the Peninsula from the northeast, along the Mediterranean coast (northern iberolevantin species). The Iberian Mountain Range could be acting as a barrier limiting the dispersal and the geographic ranges of these two groups of species.