An ant genus-group (Prenolepis) illuminates the biogeography and drivers of insect diversification in the Indo-Pacific

• The Malay Archipelago and the tropical South Pacific (hereafter the Indo-Pacific region) are considered biodiversity hotspots, yet a general understanding of the origins and diversification of species-rich groups in the region remains elusive. We aimed to test hypotheses for the evolutionary processes driving insect species diversity in the Indo-Pacific using a higher-level and comprehensive phylogenetic hypothesis for an ant clade consisting of seven genera. We estimated divergence times and reconstructed the biogeographical history of ant species in the Prenolepis genus-group (Formicidae: Formicinae: Lasiini). We used a fossil-calibrated phylogeny to infer ancestral geographical ranges utilizing a biogeographic model that includes founder-event speciation. Ancestral state reconstructions of the ants' ecological preferences, and diversification rates were estimated for selected Indo-Pacific clades. Overall, we report that faunal interchange between Asia and Australia has occurred since at least 20-25 Ma, and early dispersal to the Fijian Basin happened during the early and mid-Miocene (ca. 10-20 Ma). Differences in diversification rates across Indo-Pacific clades may be related to ecological preference breadth, which in turn may have facilitated geographical range expansions. Ancient dispersal routes suggested by our results agree with the palaeogeography of the region. For this particular group of ants, the rapid orogenesis in New Guinea and possibly subsequent ecological shifts may have promoted their rapid diversification and widespread distribution across the Indo-Pacific.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Utvecklingsbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Developmental Biology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Biogeography

Diversification rate

Ecological shift

New Guinea

Pacific islands

Taxon cycle

new-guinea

hymenoptera-formicidae

taxon-cycle

species delimitation

molecular phylogeny

historical biogeography

diversity-dependence

island biogeography

cryptic diversity

genetic-structure

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Evolutionary Biology

Heredity

ODDART D R

1992

Pacific ScienceSYMPOSIUM ON VEGETATION ECOLOGY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

YOKOHAMA

JAPAN

AUGUST 23-30

1990. PAC SCI.

V46

P276

egill gk

1981

annual review of ecology and systematics

v12

p75

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

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