Out of Australia: the Argiolestidae reveal the Melanesian Arc System and East Papua Composite Terrane as possible ancient dispersal routes to the Indo-Australian Archipelago (Odonata: Argiolestidae)

Abstract

Information on the origin of distribution patterns shown by freshwater invertebrates in the Indo-Australian Archipelago is poor. Here we present a molecular based hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of Argiolestidae, a family of damselflies found throughout the tropical parts of the Eastern Hemisphere. We use this to address the following questions: (1) did Argiolestidae colonize Wallacea and the Philippines from the Eurasian or from the Australian continent? (2) Is the presence of Argiolestidae in New Guinea the result of a single colonization event, i.e. are the Argiolestidae found in New Guinea monophyletic? The results show that clades occurring in the Philippines, Wallacea and New Guinea all originate from Australian ancestors. Representatives in Sundaland are most closely related to African genera and failed to reach the Philippines and Wallacea. The presence of Argiolestidae north of Australia is the result of at least three colonization events from Australia to areas that presently compose New Guinea and probably a fourth from Australia to Sulawesi. The two most diverse lineages found north of Australia show different distribution patterns. One reaching north as far as Luzon, presumably facilitated by Late Oligocene to Miocene islands arcs (Melanesian Arc System). The other clade shows a diversification of two genera and numerous species in the eastern tail of New Guinea, an area largely corresponding with the East Papuan Composite Terrane (EPCT) followed by the expansion of one genus into the rest of New Guinea. The EPCT’s importance as source area for the New Guinean fauna has been suggested on the basis of distribution patterns, but we present the first evidence based on phylogeny reconstruction of strong diversification on this formerly isolated landmass.

Keywords: dragonfly, biogeography, New Guinea, Papuan Peninsula

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