amphigean

(am-feh-JEE-an)

Amphigean means extending over all the Earth's zones, from the tropics to the polar zones, or in both hemispheres. For example, an amphigean plant is native to both the Old and New Worlds.

If you travel the globe, you'll be seein'
Plant and animal types amphigean.
They can thrive in a spot
Whether frigid or hot,
Any zone that you'd be on a spree in.
-- limerick writer Carole Lyons

Last updated: May 19, 2005.

(ecology) An organism that is native to both Old and New Worlds.