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Résumé :
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In the Ponto-Mediterranean Province, the geographical distribution of 19 species plus 1 variety belonging to the family Acartiidae has been studied. The study utilised cartographic techniques of terrestrial biogeography and the entire Province was subdivided in 1375 squares. The geographic distributions obtained derived from data published during the last 126 years. The first result was that about 3/4 of the area considered has never been sampled, and only about 8% of the entire area has been repeatedly sampled (at least seasonally). Long time-series of sampling are known only from very few sites. The species considered belong to three genera. Species distributions are discontinuous either in space or in time. Three species are endemic. The historical analysis suggests that four species arrived in the Province recently (two of them are Lessepsian migrants; the others have been introduced by human activities). Two species appear to have crossed the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea (anti-Lessepsian migration). Two species are considered to be ante-Lessepsian (they were tropical species present in the Mediterranean before the Suez Canal opening). The doubtful presence of two species in the Mediterranean is discussed. At the present time, it seems that the distribution of many species is rapidly changing, probably as a consequence of the anthropogenic influence on communication between areas of the Province, and supported by the ability of Acartiidae to cross geographic barriers, mainly as resting stages.
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