author(s)
Mark Cooper

abstract
The Tropical Conservativism Hypothesis and Biogeographical Conservativism Hypothesis were tested in forest millipedes. Latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) was measured in the Spirobolida family Pachybolidae to distinguish between the two hypotheses. There was a significant correlation between the number of species and latitudinal degrees away from the equator (r=-0.82, r²=0.68, n=38, p<0.01). An evolutionary preference for temperate environments appearing to have led to climatic constraints on dispersal based on precipitation seasonality gradients and predation was suggested.