Endemism patterns in the Italian leaf beetle fauna (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)

Zookeys. 2013 Sep 19:(332):177-205. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.332.5339. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

In this contribution the results of a zoogeographical analysis, carried out on the 123 endemic leaf beetle species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) occurring in Italy and its immediately adjacent regions, are reported. To assess the level of faunistic similarity among the different geographic regions studied, a cluster analysis was performed, based on the endemic component. This was done by calculating the Baroni Urbani & Buser's similarity index (BUB). Finally, a parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) was used to identify the most important areas of endemism in Italy.

Keywords: Alps; Apennines; Chrysomelidae; Coleoptera; Corsica; Italy; Sardinia; Sicily; cluster analysis; endemic species; parsimony analysis of endemicity.