American Somoa

[Bruce Walsh]

Those nice isolated islands typically have very low species diversity (of
butterflies, that is).  For example, New Zealand has less than two dozen
species (Australia has around 400).  Likewise, Hawaii has only around a
dozen species, only two of which are endemic.  However, Hawaii also has over
50% of all the world's Drosophila (similar stories hold true for certain
crickets and long-horn beetles).  Hence, while many insect groups undergo
rapid radiation on island, butterflies do not seem to.

Cheers

Bruce