Deciphering the patterns and timing of diversification of the genus Melanastera (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Liviidae) in the Neotropics

Even after decades of research on diversification in the Neotropics, our understanding of the evolutionary processes that shaped Neotropical clades is still incomplete. In the present study, we used different divergence times and likelihood-based methods to investigate the influence of biogeography and host plant associations on the diversification of the most species-rich psyllid genus Melanastera (Liviidae) from the Neotropics as a model group of herbivorous insects. We used molecular phylogenetic data from seven gene fragments (four mitochondrial and three nuclear). The putatively monophyletic group of Neotropical Melanastera species has an estimated crown node age of 20.2 Ma (ML, CI 20.2-30.6) or 23.2 Ma (BI, 95 % HPD 16.6-32.6), with diversification occurring mainly in the Upper Miocene, although some species groups diversified in the Pliocene or Pleistocene. Biogeographic analysis suggests that the Neotropical Melanastera originated from the Pacific region of South and Central America. We detected a shift in diversification rates that likely occurred either at the time of origin of Melanastera or during the main colonisation of the Atlantic and Amazon Forests, followed by a subsequent slowdown in speciation rates. State-dependent speciation and extinction models revealed a significant relationship between this diversification shift and the shift of Melanastera to the plant families Melastomataceae and Annonaceae, reflecting the impact of host switching on speciation rates in this group. This period also coincides with several independent dispersal events from the Atlantic and Amazon Forests to other parts of the Neotropics. Taken together, the results of the current study suggest that diversification of Melanastera was facilitated by shifts to new host families, which may have promoted the dispersal of Melanastera into new adaptive zones with subsequent processes of local speciation.

Opoptera Aurivillius, 1882 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae, Brassolini): Taxonomic revision, molecular phylogeny and description of a new species

Opoptera Aurivillius, 1882 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Brassolini) is a Neotropical genus, with species occurring from Mexico to Argentina. Although previous phylogenetic hypotheses involving Opoptera species have been proposed, an investigation of the species relationships based on molecular data, supported by a systematic review, has not been carried out to date. This study presents a taxonomic revision of Opoptera, which currently comprises eight species and two subspecies, proposing a hypothesis of relationships among the taxa based on DNA, morphology, geographic distribution, and natural history data. To carry out this study, 530 specimens of all species of the genus were examined, including type material of all proposed taxa. For the phylogenic hypothesis, the maximum likelihood method was used, and five molecular markers: one mitochondrial, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and four nuclear, elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α), ribosomal protein S5 (RpS5), wingless (wg), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Opoptera was recovered as monophyletic and the relationships between species corroborate the previous hypotheses. From the taxonomic review, two synonyms are proposed: Opoptera hilaris colombiana (Rothschild, 1916) syn. nov. and Opoptera hilaris fuscata Stichel, 1908 syn. nov. of Opoptera hilaris Stichel, 1901. A new status is proposed: Opoptera mexicana J. Maza & R. G. Maza, 1989 stat. nov. A new species is described: Opoptera iracildae sp. nov. In order to stabilize the nomenclature of the group, three neotypes are designated for Caligo syme Hübner, [1821], Opsiphanes arsippe Hopffer, 1874, and Opoptera aorsa hilaris Stichel, 1901; and ten lectotypes for Morpho aorsa Godart, [1824], Opoptera aorsa litura Fruhstorfer, 1907, Opoptera arsippe bracteolata Stichel, 1901, Opoptera aorsa fuscata Stichel, 1908, Opsiphanes sulcius Staudinger, 1887, Opsiphanes sulcius var. sodalis Röber, 1906, Papilio alcimedon Dalman, 1823, Morpho acadina Godart, [1824], Opoptera syme fumosa Stichel, 1902, and Opsiphanes staudingeri Godman & Salvin, 1894. This study recognizes ten valid species and eight synonyms.

Complete phylogeny of Micrathena spiders suggests multiple dispersal events among Neotropical rainforests, islands and landmasses, and indicates that Andean orogeny promotes speciation

The Neotropical region is the most diverse on the planet, largely owing to its mosaic of tropical rainforests. Multiple tectonic and climatic processes have been hypothesized to contribute to generating this diversity, including Andean orogeny, the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, the GAARlandia land bridge and historical connections among currently isolated forests. Micrathena spiders are diverse and widespread in the region, and thus a complete phylogeny of this genus allows the testing of hypotheses at multiple scales. We estimated a complete, dated phylogeny using morphological data for 117 Micrathena species and molecular data of up to five genes for a subset of 79 species. Employing event-based approaches and biogeographic stochastic mapping while considering phylogenetic uncertainty, we estimated ancestral distributions, the timing and direction of dispersal events and diversification rates among areas. The phylogeny is generally robust, with uncertainty in the position of some of the species lacking sequences. Micrathena started diversifying around 25 Ma. Andean cloud forests show the highest in-situ speciation, while the Amazon is the major dispersal source for adjacent areas. The Dry Diagonal generated few species and is a sink of diversity. Species exchange between Central and South America involved approximately 23 dispersal events and started ~20 Ma, which is consistent with a Miocene age for the Isthmus of Panama closure. We inferred four dispersal events from Central America to the Antilles in the last 20 Myr, indicating the spiders did not reach the islands through the GAARlandia land bridge. We identified important species exchange routes among the Amazon, Andean cloud forests and Atlantic forests during the Plio-Pleistocene. Sampling all species of the genus was fundamental to the conclusions above, especially in identifying the Andean forests as the area that generated the majority of species. This highlights the importance of complete taxonomic sampling in biogeographic studies.

Systematics of Dynastor Doubleday, [1849] (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae, Brassolini)

Dynastor Doubleday, [1849] (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Brassolini) is an exclusively Neotropical genus, occurring from Mexico to Argentina. Adults have crepuscular habits, while the larvae are unique in Brassolini in feeding on bromeliads (Bromeliaceae). Until now, Dynastor contained three species, nine subspecies, and five synonyms (two of them generic synonyms). The present study analyzed information on the immature stages and adult morphology, with molecular and distribution data, to provide a revised taxonomic hypothesis for Dynastor species and subspecies. Analyses of approximately 380 specimens, including all species and subspecies known for the genus, supported the reinstatement of the statuses of three species: Dynastor stygianus Butler, 1872 stat. rest., Dynastor hannibal Oberthür, 1881 stat. rest., and Dynastor strix (Bates, 1864) stat. rest. One subspecies is here treated as a species: Dynastor pharnaces Stichel, 1908 stat. nov. Three new synonyms are proposed: Papilio anaxarete Cramer, 1776 syn. nov., Dynastor darius ictericus Stichel, 1904 syn. nov. and Dynastor darius faenius Fruhstorfer, 1912 syn. nov. of Dynastor darius (Fabricius, 1775). To ensure unambiguous identification of names, two neotypes were designated for: Dynastor napoleon f. maculatus Niepelt, 1922 and Dynastor populus Röber, 1927, and nine lectotypes for: Dynastor napoleon Doubleday, [1849], Papilio darius Fabricius, 1775, Papilio anaxarete, Dynastor mardonius Fruhstorfer, 1911, Dynastor darius faenius, Brassolis macrosiris Westwood, 1851, Dynastor hannibal, Brassolis strix, and Dynastor pharnaces stat. nov. The proposed taxonomic checklist for Dynastor includes seven species, more than double the previous proposals, and eight subjective synonyms (two of them generic synonyms).

To and fro in the archipelago: Repeated inter-island dispersal and New Guinea's orogeny affect diversification of Delias, the world's largest butterfly genus

The world's largest butterfly genus Delias, commonly known as Jezebels, comprises ca. 251 species found throughout Asia, Australia, and Melanesia. Most species are endemic to islands in the Indo-Australian Archipelago or to New Guinea and nearby islands in Melanesia, and many species are restricted to montane habitats over 1200 m. We inferred an extensively sampled and well-supported molecular phylogeny of the group to better understand the spatial and temporal dimensions of its diversification. The remarkable diversity of Delias evolved in just ca. 15-16 Myr (crown age). The most recent common ancestor of a clade with most of the species dispersed out of New Guinea ca. 14 Mya, but at least six subsequently diverging lineages dispersed back to the island. Diversification was associated with frequent dispersal of lineages among the islands of the Indo-Australian Archipelago, and the divergence of sister taxa on a single landmass was rare and occurred only on the largest islands, most notably on New Guinea. We conclude that frequent inter-island dispersal during the Neogene-likely facilitated by frequent sea level change-sparked much diversification during that period. Many extant New Guinea lineages started diversifying 5 Mya, suggesting that orogeny facilitated their diversification. Our results largely agree with the most recently proposed species group classification system, and we use our large taxon sample to extend this system to all described species. Finally, we summarize recent insights to speculate how wing pattern evolution, mimicry, and sexual selection might also contribute to these butterflies' rapid speciation and diversification.

Diversifying in the mountains: spatiotemporal diversification of frogs in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot

Mountain ranges are hotspots of biodiversity. However, the mechanisms that generate biodiversity patterns in different mountainous regions and taxa are not apparent. The Western Ghats (WG) escarpment in India is a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot with high species richness and endemism. Most studies have either invoked paleoclimatic conditions or climatic stability in the southern WG refugium to explain this high diversity and endemism. However, the factors driving macroevolutionary change remain unexplored for most taxa. Here, we generated the most comprehensive dated phylogeny to date for ranoid frogs in the WG and tested the role of paleoclimatic events or climatic stability in influencing frog diversification. We found that the diversity of different ranoid frog clades in the WG either accumulated at a constant rate through time or underwent a decrease in speciation rates around 3-2.5 Ma during the Pleistocene glaciation cycles. We also find no significant difference in diversification rate estimates across elevational gradients and the three broad biogeographic zones in the WG (northern, central, and southern WG). However, time-for-speciation explained regional species richness within clades, wherein older lineages have more extant species diversity. Overall, we find that global paleoclimatic events have had little impact on WG frog diversification throughout most of its early history until the Quaternary and that the WG may have been climatically stable allowing lineages to accumulate and persist over evolutionary time.

Immature Stages, Natural History and Population Biology of Opoptera syme (Hübner, 1821), (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) from Southeastern Brazil

The present study describes the immature stages of Opoptera syme (Hübner, [1821]) using SEM and Micro-CT to generate 2D and 3D models to study the morphology and chaetotaxy, and present information on the natural history, behavior, and population biology. In laboratory, eggs were laid singly, and the isolated larvae passed through six to seven instars. Host plant in the study site is unknown, but larvae are known to feed on bamboos; in laboratory, larvae accepted the ornamental bamboo Bambusa textilis McClure, 1940. Adults are diurnal and univoltine, flying from December to April (the austral summer). The present study adds information to the biology and natural history of Brassolini, an iconic and still poorly known tribe of Neotropical butterflies.

Climate change and land use threaten global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees

Across the globe, tree species are under high anthropogenic pressure. Risks of extinction are notably more severe for species with restricted ranges and distinct evolutionary histories. Here, we use a global dataset covering 41,835 species (65.1% of known tree species) to assess the spatial pattern of tree species' phylogenetic endemism, its macroecological drivers, and how future pressures may affect the conservation status of the identified hotspots. We found that low-to-mid latitudes host most endemism hotspots, with current climate being the strongest driver, and climatic stability across thousands to millions of years back in time as a major co-determinant. These hotspots are mostly located outside of protected areas and face relatively high land-use change and future climate change pressure. Our study highlights the risk from climate change for tree diversity and the necessity to strengthen conservation and restoration actions in global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees to avoid major future losses of tree diversity.

Micro-CT imaging in species description: exploring beyond sclerotized structures in lichen moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Arctiinae, Lithosiini)

X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging (micro-CT) is valuable for systematic research since it permits the non-destructive scanning and imaging of internal structures of very rare species and/or type specimens. Additionally, micro-CT allows to view the morphology and the functional anatomy of structures in their natural anatomical position, without deformations that typically occur using classical dissection protocols. In this study we provide the description of two new species of lichen moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Lithosiini) from the Atlantic Forest in eastern Brazil: Nodozana heliae Moraes sp. nov. from Rio de Janeiro state and Epeiromulona pataxo Moraes & Aguiar sp. nov. from Bahia state. The male and female genitalia as well as the wing morphology were examined by means of non-destructive micro-CT, subsequent 3D model reconstruction, 360 degree spinning animations, 2D images from different angles, and those were compared against classical genitalia dissections from the same specimens. We conclude that techniques complement each other, micro-CT being particularly useful to study wing venation, sclerotized internal structures and muscles, while classical dissection is useful to study membranous structures, particularly in the female genitalia, abdominal skin and specialised scales on the male 8th sternite.

The importance of the Andes in the evolutionary radiation of Sigmodontinae (Rodentia, Cricetidae), the most diverse group of mammals in the Neotropics

The Andean mountains stand out for their striking species richness and endemicity that characterize many emblematic Neotropical clades distributed in or around these mountains. The radiation of the Sigmodontinae subfamily, the most diversified mammalian group in the Neotropics, has been historically related to Andean orogenesis. We aim to evaluate this interplay between geological processes and biological responses through the diversification dynamics, the biogeographical history, and the range evolution of the subfamily. For these, we built the most comprehensive phylogeny and gathered 14,836 occurrences for the subfamily. We identified one shift in the speciation rate in the genus Akodon, which suffered their Andean radiation after the arrival of non-Andean ancestors. Our biogeographic analyses show multiple dispersal paths throughout the evolution that allowed this subfamily to colonize all Neotropics. The Northern Andes and Central-Southern Andes were the most important sources of diversity. In addition, the Central-Southern Andes were the most relevant sink, receiving the highest number of lineages. The Andean region exhibited higher speciation and turnover rates than non-Andean regions. Thus, our results support the crucial role of the Andean Mountains in the Sigmodontinae radiation, acting as a "macroevolutionary cradle" and "species attractor" for several sigmodontine lineages at different times, and as a "species pump" becoming the biogeographic source of multiple widely distributed neotropical lineages. Then, complex macroevolutionary dynamics would explain these rodents' high extant Andean diversity and their wide distribution in the Neotropics.

Immature Stages, Description of Female, and Redescription of Male of Apatelodes kotzschi Draudt, 1929 (Lepidoptera: Bombycoidea: Apatelodidae)

The genus Apatelodes Packard, 1864 comprise more than half of the known Apatelodidae species, but most of its species are placed in the genus without precise justification. The result is a heterogeneous group of species, probably forming a polyphyletic arrangement. Despite being relatively large moths and relatively abundant in light traps, only little information on the natural history and morphology of the Apatelodes immature stages has been published, and only one species is fully described including its immature stages. Aiming to increase the knowledge and provide information towards the definition of the identity of this genus, the present study describes the immature stages, provides a redescription of the male, the first description of the female of Apatelodes kotzschi Draudt, 1929, and we compare and discuss the morphological similarities among Apatelodes species. In general, the immatures of Apatelodes exhibits apparently well-conserved morphological characters, including the gross chaetotaxy configuration. Most differences are found in larval coloration patterns (mainly in the last instar larvae), pupa texture, and cremaster morphology. In contrast, imagos wings and genitalia are rich sources of diagnostic characters which can be used to identify species. However, there are still large gaps in the knowledge of the morphological characters and natural history of most species in the genus that hampers a more robust delimitation of the genus Apatelodes.

Persisting while changing over time: modelling the historical biogeographic of cave crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea) in Neotropics

Using species distribution modelling (SDMs) techniques, we predicted the biogeographic history of crickets commonly found in Neotropical caves as a way to detect potential long-term environmental refuges in South America. Our models were built based on a thorough investigation of existing database regarding the genus Endecous Saussure, 1878 (Ensifera: Phalangopsidae) occurrences. The predictions of their distribution were obtained for two paleoclimate scenarios (LGM — 21 ka and Mid-Holocene — 6 ka), the current climate scenario (0 ka) and one future global warming climate scenario (RCP8.5, 2080–2100). Our findings suggest that in the past, the potential distribution of the crickets was wider, with potential forest corridors connecting different karst areas with caves within their occupancy area. The future prediction indicates a drastic reduction in their spatial distribution with an increased potential for isolation in subterranean ecosystems. Atlantic humid forest patches and caves represent the main environmental refuges for these crickets. Considering the ongoing impacts on surface environments and future climate change, the conservation of caves and karst landscapes has become one of the main strategies for the maintenance of these crickets and all the correlated subterranean communities.

Considerations on the Systematics of Neotropical Pierina, with the Description of Two New Species of Phulia Herrich-Schäffer from the Peruvian Andes (Lepidoptera: Pieridae, Pierinae, Pierini)

A comparative analysis of high-Andean Pierina was carried out, including a total of 25 species. Based on morphological evidence, with an emphasis on venation and genitalia and molecular data, using three genetic markers, we confirm the recent subjective synonymy of the generic names Tatochila Butler, 1870, Piercolias, Staudinger, 1894, Hypsochila Ureta, 1955, Infraphulia Field, 1958, Pierphulia Field, 1958, and Theochila Field, 1958 with Phulia Herrich-Schäffer, 1867. Two new species are described, namely Phulia stoddardi Pyrcz & Cerdeña n. sp., from the Andes of Central Peru, which occurs at an unusually high altitude of close to 5000 m a.s.l. in dry puna habitat, and Phulia phantasma Lamas, Willmott & Boyer n. sp., from dry montane forests in northern Peru and southern Ecuador. An overview of high-elevation butterflies is presented, with some discussion on adaptations to this environment.

Climatic niche evolution of a widely distributed Neotropical freshwater fish clade

The role of climate in the speciation process has been documented widely in ectotherms but poorly in freshwater fishes, which represent the richest clade among vertebrates. In this study, we have evaluated the occurrence of phylogenetic niche evolution as a promoter of diversification in the herichthyines (Cichliformes: Cichlidae) clade. We used distributional and bioclimatic data, niche modelling algorithms and phylogenetic comparative methods to study patterns of climatic niche evolution in the herichthyines clade. Our results suggested that herichthyines display signals of phylogenetic niche conservatism, but also signals of niche evolution in the last 14 Myr associated with the availability of new habitats promoting ecological opportunity within the clade. We also concluded that niche conservatism is equally strong in the fundamental and realized niches, which indicates a need to evaluate the potential role of biotic interactions in the evolution of the niche in future studies.

A diversification relay race from Caribbean-Mesoamerica to the Andes: historical biogeography of Xylophanes hawkmoths

The regions of the Andes and Caribbean-Mesoamerica are both hypothesized to be the cradle for many Neotropical lineages, but few studies have fully investigated the dynamics and interactions between Neotropical bioregions. The New World hawkmoth genus Xylophanes is the most taxonomically diverse genus in the Sphingidae, with the highest endemism and richness in the Andes and Caribbean-Mesoamerica. We integrated phylogenomic and DNA barcode data and generated the first time-calibrated tree for this genus, covering 93.8% of the species diversity. We used event-based likelihood ancestral area estimation and biogeographic stochastic mapping to examine the speciation and dispersal dynamics of Xylophanes across bioregions. We also used trait-dependent diversification models to compare speciation and extinction rates of lineages associated with different bioregions. Our results indicate that Xylophanes originated in Caribbean-Mesoamerica in the Late Miocene, and immediately diverged into five major clades. The current species diversity and distribution of Xylophanes can be explained by two consecutive phases. In the first phase, the highest Xylophanes speciation and emigration rates occurred in the Caribbean-Mesoamerica, and the highest immigration rates occurred in the Andes, whereas in the second phase the highest immigration rates were found in Amazonia, and the Andes had the highest speciation and emigration rates.

Incorporating Topological and Age Uncertainty into Event-Based Biogeography of Sand Spiders Supports Paleo-Islands in Galapagos and Ancient Connections among Neotropical Dry Forests

Event-based biogeographic methods, such as dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis, have become increasingly popular for attempting to reconstruct the biogeographic history of organisms. Such methods employ distributional data of sampled species and a dated phylogenetic tree to estimate ancestral distribution ranges. Because the input tree is often a single consensus tree, uncertainty in topology and age estimates are rarely accounted for, even when they may affect the outcome of biogeographic estimates. Even when such uncertainties are taken into account for estimates of ancestral ranges, they are usually ignored when researchers compare competing biogeographic hypotheses. We explore the effect of incorporating this uncertainty in a biogeographic analysis of the 21 species of sand spiders (Sicariidae: Sicarius) from Neotropical xeric biomes, based on a total-evidence phylogeny including a complete sampling of the genus. Using a custom R script, we account for uncertainty in ages and topology by estimating ancestral ranges over a sample of trees from the posterior distribution of a Bayesian analysis, and for uncertainty in biogeographic estimates by using stochastic maps. This approach allows for counting biogeographic events such as dispersal among areas, counting lineages through time per area, and testing biogeographic hypotheses, while not overestimating the confidence in a single topology. Including uncertainty in ages indicates that Sicarius dispersed to the Galapagos Islands when the archipelago was formed by paleo-islands that are now submerged; model comparison strongly favors a scenario where dispersal took place before the current islands emerged. We also investigated past connections among currently disjunct Neotropical dry forests; failing to account for topological uncertainty underestimates possible connections among the Caatinga and Andean dry forests in favor of connections among Caatinga and Caribbean + Mesoamerican dry forests. Additionally, we find that biogeographic models including a founder-event speciation parameter (“+J”) are more prone to suffer from the overconfidence effects of estimating ancestral ranges using a single topology. This effect is alleviated by incorporating topological and age uncertainty while estimating stochastic maps, increasing the similarity in the inference of biogeographic events between models with or without a founder-event speciation parameter. We argue that incorporating phylogenetic uncertainty in biogeographic hypothesis-testing is valuable and should be a commonplace approach in the presence of rogue taxa or wide confidence intervals in age estimates, and especially when using models including founder-event speciation.

Hide-and-Seek with Tiny Neotenic Beetles in One of the Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots: Towards an Understanding of the Real Diversity of Jurasaidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Jurasaidae are a family of neotenic elateroid beetles which was described recently from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot based on three species in two genera. All life stages live in the soil, including the larviform females, and only adult males are able to fly. Here, we report the discovery of two new species, Jurasai miraculum sp. nov. and J. vanini sp. nov., and a new, morphologically remarkable population of J. digitusdei Rosa et al., 2020. Our discovery sheds further light on the diversity and biogeography of the group. Most species of Jurasaidae are known from the rainforest remnants of the Atlantic Forest, but here for the first time we report a jurasaid species from the relatively drier Atlantic Forest/Caatinga transitional zone. Considering our recent findings, minute body size and cryptic lifestyle of all jurasaids, together with potentially high numbers of yet undescribed species of this family from the Atlantic Forest and possibly also other surrounding ecoregions, we call for both field research in potentially suitable localities as well as for a detailed investigation of a massive amount of already collected but still unprocessed materials deposited in a number of Brazilian institutes, laboratories and collections.