Evolutionary Diversification and Biogeography of an Australian fauna, revealed by a near-complete species level molecular phylogeny of diving beetles
Final Report Abstract
In the Southern hemisphere, the impact of Pleistocene climate change has been studied most intensely in Australia's arid zone biota. Though geographically and biologically very close, biota in the adjacent mountain zones have received relatively little attention. We study Sternopriscus, the most speciose genus of epigean Australian diving beetles, especially diverse in the south-eastern Australian mountain ranges. A molecular phylogeny shows that ten of these morphologically – based mainly on male genital characters – well delineated species cannot be distinguished readily by mtDNA and nDNA sequence data. These species of the S. tarsalis group likely represent an extremely recent, probably Pleistocene radiation. Within the S. tarsalis group, the species are arranged in three species-complexes, all strongly supported in our molecular phylogenetic analysis. Searching for factors possibly promoting such a diversification, we use ecological niche modeling (ENM) and empirical ecological data to discuss the possible impact of the ice ages. All species of the Sternopriscus tarsalis complexes were compared for their preferences in altitude and habitat and for the most important climate factor in their ENM. Within each of the three complexes in the S. tarsalis group, no two species are identical in all three factors. ENMs point towards niche diversification within this group of closely related and broadly sympatric species. Furthermore, we discuss the application of the species flock concept on these Sternopriscus species and conclude that the S. tarsalis group indeed qualify as such – this is the first documented example of an aquatic insect species flock.
Publications
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(2009): Kakadudessus tomweiri, a new genus and species of diving beetle from tropical northern Australia, based on molecular, phylogenetic and morphological data (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Bidessini). – Zootaxa 2134: 49–59
Hendrich, L. & M. Balke
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2009. A revision of Australasian Neobidessodes gen.n. diving beetles – integrating morphology, cybertaxonomy, DNA taxonomy and phylogeny (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Bidessini) . – Zootaxa 2288, 1–41. ISSN 1175-5326
Hendrich, L., Hawlitschek, O. & Balke, M.
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(2011) Ecological Niche Modelling and nDNA Sequencing Support a New, Morphologically Cryptic Beetle Species Unveiled by DNA Barcoding. – PLoS ONE 6(2), e16662
Hawlitschek O, Porch N, Hendrich L, Balke M
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2011: A simultaneous journal / wiki publication and dissemination of a new species description: Neobidessodes darwiniensis sp. n. from northern Australia (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Bidessini). – ZooKeys 79, 11–20
Hendrich, L.; Balke, M.
