An exploration of the complex biogeographical history of the Neotropical banner-wing damselflies (Odonata: Polythoridae).

ABSTRACT:

Background

The New World Tropics has experienced a dynamic landscape across evolutionary history and harbors a high diversity of flora and fauna. While there are some studies addressing diversification in Neotropical vertebrates and plants, there is still a lack of knowledge in arthropods. Here we examine temporal and spatial diversification patterns in the damselfly family Polythoridae, which comprises seven genera with a total of 58 species distributed across much of Central and South America.

Results

Our time-calibrated phylogeny for 48 species suggests that this family radiated during the late Eocene (~ 33 Ma), diversifying during the Miocene. As with other neotropical groups, the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) of most of the Polythoridae genera has a primary origin

SUBMITTER: Sanchez-Herrera M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7315476 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature