The Mexican species of Ectopsocus (Psocoptera: Ectopsocidae), and an analysis of the distribution of the genus

Abstract

NINETEEN SPECIES OF ECTOPSOCUS ARE RECORDED FROM MEXICO, AND 11 OF THEM ARE HERE DESCRIBED. THE TYPES OF THE NEW SPECIES ARE DEPOSITED IN THE INSECT COLLETION, INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA , UNAM, DEPARTAMENTO DE ZOOLOGIA. SEVEN OF THE MEXICAN SPECIES ARE EITHER COSMOPOLITAN OR PANTROPICAL, ONE IS ALSO KNOWN FROM SOUTHERN FLORIDA AND THE CARIBBEAN AREA, AND 11 ARE ONLY KNOWN FROM MEXICO, FOR A LEVEL OF ENDEMISMS OF 57%. THE MEXICAN ECTOPSOCUS REPRESENT A 73% OF THE ECTOPSOCUS KNOWNS IN THE NEOTROPICAL REGION. THIS GENUS PRESENTLY INCLUDES 130 SPECIES, AND IS BEST REPRESENTED IN THE ORIENTAL REGION, WITH 45 SPECIES, FOLLOWED BY THE NEOTROPICS, WITH 26 SPECIES, AND THE AUSTRALIAN REGION, WITH 24 SPECIES. ENDEMISM IS HIGHEST IN THE AUSTRALIAN REGION (75% ENDEMICS), FOLLOWED BY THE NEOTROPICS, WITH 69% ENDEMICS, AND THE ORIENTAL REGION, WITH 60% ENDEMECS. OCCEANIA AS A WHOLE, MADAGASCAR, AND CONTINENTAL AFRICA, PRESENT MODERATE LEVELS OF ENDEMISM FOR ECTOPSOCUS SPECIES. THUS, THREE MAIN CENTERS OF DIVERSIFICATIN AND EVOLUTIONS OF ECTOPSOCUS ARE RECOGNIZED: THE ORIENTAL OCEANIC, THE AUSTRALIAN, AND THE NEOTROPICAL.