Studies of tiger beetles. CLXVIII. Two interesting examples of Mediterranean-southern African disjunct geographical distributions: the Cicindela of the subgenus Austrocicindela and the genus Platydela (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae)

Abstract

Biogeographia vol. XXIX - 2008 (Pubb/icato il 30 dicembre 2008) The Mediterranean—southern African disjunct distribution pattern Studies of tiger beetles. CLXVTH. Two interesting examples of Mediterranean—southern African disjunct geographical distributions: the Cicindeld of the subgenus Austrocicimle/rz and the genus Plat}/delrz (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) FABIO CASSOLA V1.22 F. Tomzzssztcci J 2/20, I-00144 Roma ([271!)/) e-mzzz'[:fiz/7z'0crz5s0[zz @zz[ice. it Key words: Mediterranezin-southern African distributions; Cicindelidae; Tiger Beetles. SUMMARY The cases are instanced oftwo remarkable Mediterr;1nean—southern African distributions among the Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae), Le. the subgenus Arzrtracir/215/c//I Rivalier, 1963, which includes four species in southern Africa of the otherwise primarily Holarctic genus Cicindc/it Linne, 1758, and the genus P/nrytle/rz Rivalier, 1950, which occurs with two species in Morocco and one species in the Cape region. Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) constitute one of the most charac- teristic elements of many Mediterranean habitats. The genus Cicindela Linne, 1758, in particular, remarkably shows a consistent Holarctic geographical dis- tribution, vvith many species both in Europe and the Palaearctic as Well as in North America (Wiesner, 1992). Its generotype is Cicindelrz mmpertris Linne, 175 8, which was the very first tiger beetle species to be described and thus the one which gave this beetle family its name (Pearson 85 Cassola 2005). Unlike in Linnaeus’ time, this genus has been subdivided by modern taxonomy, based on perfectly valid external morphology as well on male genitalic structures, into over fifty genera worldwide (Rivalier 1950, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1963). These genera appear to be more or less species—rich and more or less distinct as to their morphology, ecology and geographical distributions. Rivalier’s sys— tem is remarkably vvell—founded and homogeneous, and, even if some minor