New Zealand split from the rest of Gondwana 65-80 my and is home to approximately 6000 species of beetles, manyof which are undescribed and or poorly studied. Like other iconic groups of New Zealand organisms, the beetle faunais composed of ancient relict lineages and endemic radiations, indicative of an island continental island which never hadopen ecological niches as seen in deep islands such as Hawaii or the Galapagos archipelagos. While more recent volcanismand glaciation as well as the arrival of man within the past 1000 yrs has shaped the population structure and distributionof New Zealand beetles, a new comprehensive model for the evolution of beetles is proposed.

• Richard Leschen(New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Private Bag 92170)