Vicariant events shaping Southern South America insect distributions: a search using Hovenkamp´s (1997, 2001) protocols and VIP.

DOMINGUEZ, M.C; AGRAIN, F.; FLORES, GUSTAVO, E; ROIG JUÑENT, S.

Mendoza

Congreso; Fourth International Tenebrionoidea Symposium; 2015

CONICET

The main goal of thisstudy is to use multiple insect phylogenies along with geographical informationto test known vicariance hypotheses for Southern South America (SSA). Weanalyzed the phylogenies and geographical distributions ofseven insect genera endemic to SSA (includingfour Tenebrionidae) using Hovenkamp?s protocol, which have been in partimplemented software (VIP). Using this software we were able to hypothesize 55 traceable vicariance events (TVE), among these werecognized four supported vicariance events (SVEs) (i.e. confirmed by more than a single sister group). The first SVEconsisted of an East/West separation of the faunas in all analyzed trees; thesecond SVE is a North/South separation of the fauna located East of the Andes;the third SVE was found in the southernmost fauna located East of the Andes,which separates allopatric Patagonian species in a North/South direction; andfinally the fourth SVE separates in a North/South direction clades of theCentral Chilean fauna located West of the Andes.Our results, suggest that thesefour SVEs could be correlated with the uplifting of the Andesmarine ingressions that occurred during theCenozoic that is the estimated age at which these events occurred. Finally, we discuss that current softwareimplementation of Hovenkamp?s ideas need to be expanded; particularly regardingthe automated selection of TVEs