Biogeographia vol. XXIX - 2008 (Pubblicato /qI 30 dicembre 2008) The Mediterranean-southern African disjunct distribution pattern Curculionidae Curculioninae: relationships between Mediterranean and southern African species (Coleoptera) ROBERTO CALDARA, ENZO COLONNELLV, GIUSEPPE OSELLA** Vizz Lormreggio 37, 20146./lli/(1720 ( I trzly) e—772rzi[.' ro Zzerto. czzldzzm @g7mzi[. cam *1/12: 516116 Gizmc/Jig/2'5 56, 00172 Roma (Italy) e—mtzz'/: ecolon 728/11' @}/it/900. 2727 **Dzpzzrti77ze7zro di Scienze Am/Jieiztzzli, Uitiversitir degli Srudi dell’/lqzii/zz, L’/lqzziizz (Italy) e-mzzil: osellzz @zm7'z/nq. it Key words: Curculionidae, Curculioninae, Mediterranean subregion, southern African subregion, distribution. SUMMARY Eight tribes of the subfamily Curculioninae (Anthonomini. Cionini, Curculionini, Derelomini, Mecinini, Rhamphini, Storeini and Tychiini) have representatives known from both the Mediterranean and southern African subregions. Six genera (Cimzr/5 [Claiiville], 1798, C/eapmnimm Pierce, 1919, G:]/IlIll£‘lT0il Schoenherr, 1825, I’zzr/Jytyr/Jirzs Jekel, 1861, Sibirzizz Getmar, 1817, 73/5/1171: Germar, 1817) have a consistent number of taxa in both regions. In these genera the affinities between the two faunas appear very close, since many groups of them are known from both subregions. A true Mediterranean—soutl1ern African disjunct distribution occurs only in C/mponzirzr/1:, whereas in the other genera some species, although few in number, are present also in eastern central Africa. The distribution of the weevils here considered is usually more restricted than that of their potential host plants and this is probably due to climatic reasons. INTRODUCTION In the latest years there was a rising interest in the knowledge of the south- ern African weevil fauna. By the discovery of many new species it has appeared increasingly clearer that at last in some groups this fauna has close relationship with the Mediterranean one as recently reviewed by Osella et al. (1998). Taking into account primarily the latest taxonomic revisions, we consider the characteristics of these two faunas in Curculionidae Curculioninae in more detail, with a particular emphasis on their host plants. Taxonomy of plants follow here Stevens (2007).