Henderson, R.C. 2008 Extinctions and radiations in the New Zealand scale insect fauna.. Proceedings of the XI International Symposium on Scale Insect Studies, Oeiras, Portugal, 24-27 September 2007. ISA Press Lisbon, Portugal 322 pp.

Notes: Abstract: An overview of the historical biogeography of New Zealand from Miocene to present leads to the conclusion that climate changes and depletion of host plants have been major influences on the scale insect fauna of New Zealand. Recently discovered fossils associated with a Miocene lake, including a well-preserved diaspidid dated 20 million years old, provide more detail about climate and forest composition than had the previous pollen record. A second new scale insect fossil, dated 34,000 years, is on a leaf of Nothofagus menziesii (Nothofagaceae) with the pouch gall of an extant species, Madarococcus cunicularius Hoy (Eriococcidae). Gaps and radiations are present in the major scale insect families today. Examples of modern scale insect faunal pattems are discussed.