The aerial invertebrate fauna of subantarctic Macquarie Island

A comprehensive study of Macquarie Island reveals that passive aerial dispersal is significantly more prevalent among its invertebrate fauna than previously understood. Over 3000 invertebrates from seven insect orders and other arthropods were collected using wind-traps between 1991 and 1994, with over half of the catch consisting of flightless species. This indicates widespread short-distance dispersal across the island, challenging earlier assumptions about movement patterns. While long-distance dispersal events were rare, the study suggests that aerial pathways could occasionally facilitate the arrival of exotic species, though other explanations for their presence are equally plausible.

Hawes, T. C., & Greenslade, P. (2013). The aerial invertebrate fauna of subantarctic Macquarie Island. Journal of Biogeography, 40(8), 1501–1511. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12090