| Abstract: | Geographic ranges and host plants of 10 species of Australian coreid, Gelonus tasmanicus, Acantholybas brunneus, Amorbus alternatus, Am. atomarius, Am. biguttatus, Am. bispinus, Am. obscuricornis, Am. rhombifer, Am. robustus and Am. rubiginosus, were summarized using data from specimen collection labels and sampling. One process (CLIMEX ) and two correlative range‐modelling programs (BIOCLIM and DOMAIN ) were used to infer the bioclimatic profiles of each species. By inference from the maximum range predictions made by CLIMEX , the suggestion that G. tasmanicus, Am. atomarius and Am. obscuricornis are temperate species was supported. Similarly, the suggestions that Ac. brunneus was a subtropical species and Am. biguttatus and Am. rhombifer are predominantly tropical species were supported. That Am. alternatus, Am. robustus and Am. rubiginosus are apparently ubiquitous species was supported. Comparison of the bioclimatic profiles of the habitats of G. tasmanicus and Am. obscuricornis within Tasmania using BIOCLIM supported information available in the published literature, that is, that G. tasmanicus is better suited to sites at higher elevations than Am. obscuricornis. In addition, the suggestion that the regions of high Amorbus species endemism should overlap with regions of high eucalypt species endemism was also supported. This finding is taken as evidence that the evolutionary radiation of Amorbus has followed that of the eucalypts. Using these models we have obtained preliminary insights into the biology of each species and the environmental characteristics of their preferred climatic envelope. This is an achievement that might never have been attained through concentrated study given that these insects can vary from being rare to, at best, locally common in occurrence. |
