Abstract
Biogeographia vol. XX/X - 2008 (Pubb/icato il 30 dicembre 2008) The Mediterranean-southern african disjunct distribution pattern The Mediterranean—southern African disjunct distribution pattern in the scarab beetles: a review (Coleoptera Scarabaeoidea) GIUSEPPE MARIA CARPANETO Dz]2zzrtz'ment0 di Bialogizz Am[7iem‘tz[e, Um'z/er5z'27‘z degli Stz1diR0mzz Tre, z/izzle G. Mzzramz’ 446, 00146 Roma, Italy; e—mzzi[: cm:z7m2et@u72z'r0nm3.1't Key words: Biogeography, Afrotropical Region, Mediterranean Subregion, distribution range SUMMARY A survey of the distribution ranges currently shown by the scarab beetles was conducted by a review of literature data, in order to find clues or evidence of a Mediterranean-southern African distribution pattern, through a phylogeographic discussion. The results of the survey showed that the questioned distribution pattern in the scarab beetles was mainly referred to incorrect hypothesis of relationships due [0 convergence in morphological characters. INTRODUCTION A taxon with a disjunct distribution includes two or more groups that are phylogenetically related but widely separated from each other geographically. Such a model can be applied to isolated populations of a single species or to allopatric species of a single genus and so on, according to the rank of the taxon considered. Disjunct distributions among taxa have intrigued biologists for decades. Most authors have invoked both dispersal and vicariance models to explain disjunct distribution. However, a disjunct distribution can be erroneously sug- gested by either an incorrect hypothesis of relationship due to convergence in morphological characters or a gap of knowledge in the geographical distribu- tion of the taxa. An appropriate approach to test the model is to use molecu— lar phylogenetic methods with an appropriate taxon sampling. Many molec- ular phylogenetic studies on several taxonomic groups of animals with disjunct
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