Global Patterns of Description of Agaonidae
This study explores the global patterns in the species description of fig wasps (Agaonidae), the pollinators of Ficus.
Fig wasps play a crucial role in maintaining tropical biodiversity by
supporting food webs. Despite their ecological importance, many fig
wasp species remain undescribed, especially in tropical regions where
hidden and dark biodiversity are prevalent. By analyzing historical and
geographical data, this research identifies underexplored regions and
highlights knowledge gaps, particularly in areas like the Neotropics
and Afrotropics. Findings emphasize the need for more targeted sampling
and taxonomy efforts to bridge these gaps, advancing our understanding
of biodiversity and species interactions essential for ecosystem
stability. This work is a call to highlight the importance of previous
work on this group, to highlight areas with Linnaean deficits and to
support global conservation priorities.
Figure: A. Worldwide distribution of Agaonidae dark diversity.
Results were represented in quartiles. B. Hot spot analysis of
Agaonidae dark diversity. Blue: cold spots (clusters of countries where
dark diversity values were significantly lower than in the rest of the
world). Red: hot spots (clusters of countries where the dark diversity
values were significantly higher than in the rest of the world).
Read the full article, published by Zoological
Studies, here
Edwin Ariza-MarĂn's Twitter: @EdwinArizaMarin
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