Region-specific diversification dynamics and biogeographic history of one of the most diverse families of insects

Abstract

A long-standing question in evolutionary biology is how historical biogeographic processes have shaped the current diversity of organisms, especially for highly diverse groups. We study the diversification dynamics and biogeographic processes of one of the most diverse families of Lepidoptera, Geometridae, with over 24,000 described species and a worldwide distribution. Despite the cosmopolitan distribution of the family, most species of Geometridae have limited distribution ranges. We present the largest historical biogeography and diversification study on the current diversity patterns and distribution ranges of Geometridae. We use a multi-locus dataset of 1200 taxa to estimate the histori..