Disjunct distributions and evolutionary diversification of Australasian geometrid moths: subfamilies Epidesmiinae, Desmobathrinae and Oenochrominae (Lepidoptera).

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Main Authors: Murillo-Ramos, Leidys, Ghanavi, Hamid Reza, Lee, Kyung Min, Laiho, Elina, Hausmann, Axel, Staude, Hermann, Friedrich, Egbert, Brehm, Gunnar, Sihvonen, Pasi
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Molecular phylogenetics and evolution 2026
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author Murillo-Ramos, Leidys
Ghanavi, Hamid Reza
Lee, Kyung Min
Laiho, Elina
Hausmann, Axel
Staude, Hermann
Friedrich, Egbert
Brehm, Gunnar
Sihvonen, Pasi
author_facet Murillo-Ramos, Leidys
Ghanavi, Hamid Reza
Lee, Kyung Min
Laiho, Elina
Hausmann, Axel
Staude, Hermann
Friedrich, Egbert
Brehm, Gunnar
Sihvonen, Pasi
Murillo-Ramos, Leidys
Ghanavi, Hamid Reza
Lee, Kyung Min
Laiho, Elina
Hausmann, Axel
Staude, Hermann
Friedrich, Egbert
Brehm, Gunnar
Sihvonen, Pasi
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Disjunct distributions and evolutionary diversification of Australasian geometrid moths: subfamilies Epidesmiinae, Desmobathrinae and Oenochrominae (Lepidoptera). Murillo-Ramos, Leidys Ghanavi, Hamid Reza Lee, Kyung Min Laiho, Elina Hausmann, Axel Staude, Hermann Friedrich, Egbert Brehm, Gunnar Sihvonen, Pasi Animals Phylogeny Moths Australasia Bayes Theorem Phylogeography Biological Evolution Likelihood Functions Sequence Analysis, DNA New Zealand Evolution, Molecular Disjunct distribution patterns have long intrigued biogeographers, sparking ongoing debates about the mechanisms driving the current distribution of biodiversity. Among the most discussed patterns are long-distance dispersal and vicariance. While these patterns have been extensively studied in plants, marine taxa, mammals, and some invertebrates, they remain less explored in groups like moths. In this study, we use the Epidesmiinae + Oenochrominae + Desmobathrinae complex-three closely related subfamilies within the Geometridae family-as a model to examine disjunct distribution patterns in Australasian moths. Epidesmiinae + Oenochrominae moths are primarily distributed within the Australasian region, with some taxa being endemic to New Zealand. In contrast, their sister group, Desmobathrinae, exhibits a trans-continental and mainly pantropical distribution. The biogeography and evolution of these subfamilies, which currently have different distribution areas, have not been analysed in an evolutionary context before. To investigate this, we inferred phylogenetic trees using a Maximum-Likelihood approach and used the topology to estimate time-calibrated trees and reconstruct ancestral biogeographical areas using a Bayesian method. Additionally, we explored the diversification rates of these lineages. Our results suggest that the ancestor of the three subfamilies most likely originated in Australasia during the Eocene (∼58 Ma). Bayesian biogeographical analyses suggested dispersal events of the Desmobathrinae into the Indo-Malayan region and other areas, with an important jump to the Neotropics, while Epidesmiinae and Oenochrominae dispersed mainly within Australasia. Diversification analysis revealed no significant shifts in diversification rates, with the phylogeny showing a pattern of declining speciation rates over time. Our study exemplifies how phylogenetics in combination with biogeographical reconstruction uncovers macroevolutionary patterns in moths.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_40886870
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Molecular phylogenetics and evolution
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Disjunct distributions and evolutionary diversification of Australasian geometrid moths: subfamilies Epidesmiinae, Desmobathrinae and Oenochrominae (Lepidoptera).
Murillo-Ramos, Leidys
Ghanavi, Hamid Reza
Lee, Kyung Min
Laiho, Elina
Hausmann, Axel
Staude, Hermann
Friedrich, Egbert
Brehm, Gunnar
Sihvonen, Pasi
Animals
Phylogeny
Moths
Australasia
Bayes Theorem
Phylogeography
Biological Evolution
Likelihood Functions
Sequence Analysis, DNA
New Zealand
Evolution, Molecular
Disjunct distributions and evolutionary diversification of Australasian geometrid moths: subfamilies Epidesmiinae, Desmobathrinae and Oenochrominae (Lepidoptera). Murillo-Ramos, Leidys Ghanavi, Hamid Reza Lee, Kyung Min Laiho, Elina Hausmann, Axel Staude, Hermann Friedrich, Egbert Brehm, Gunnar Sihvonen, Pasi Animals Phylogeny Moths Australasia Bayes Theorem Phylogeography Biological Evolution Likelihood Functions Sequence Analysis, DNA New Zealand Evolution, Molecular Disjunct distribution patterns have long intrigued biogeographers, sparking ongoing debates about the mechanisms driving the current distribution of biodiversity. Among the most discussed patterns are long-distance dispersal and vicariance. While these patterns have been extensively studied in plants, marine taxa, mammals, and some invertebrates, they remain less explored in groups like moths. In this study, we use the Epidesmiinae + Oenochrominae + Desmobathrinae complex-three closely related subfamilies within the Geometridae family-as a model to examine disjunct distribution patterns in Australasian moths. Epidesmiinae + Oenochrominae moths are primarily distributed within the Australasian region, with some taxa being endemic to New Zealand. In contrast, their sister group, Desmobathrinae, exhibits a trans-continental and mainly pantropical distribution. The biogeography and evolution of these subfamilies, which currently have different distribution areas, have not been analysed in an evolutionary context before. To investigate this, we inferred phylogenetic trees using a Maximum-Likelihood approach and used the topology to estimate time-calibrated trees and reconstruct ancestral biogeographical areas using a Bayesian method. Additionally, we explored the diversification rates of these lineages. Our results suggest that the ancestor of the three subfamilies most likely originated in Australasia during the Eocene (∼58 Ma). Bayesian biogeographical analyses suggested dispersal events of the Desmobathrinae into the Indo-Malayan region and other areas, with an important jump to the Neotropics, while Epidesmiinae and Oenochrominae dispersed mainly within Australasia. Diversification analysis revealed no significant shifts in diversification rates, with the phylogeny showing a pattern of declining speciation rates over time. Our study exemplifies how phylogenetics in combination with biogeographical reconstruction uncovers macroevolutionary patterns in moths.
title Disjunct distributions and evolutionary diversification of Australasian geometrid moths: subfamilies Epidesmiinae, Desmobathrinae and Oenochrominae (Lepidoptera).
topic Animals
Phylogeny
Moths
Australasia
Bayes Theorem
Phylogeography
Biological Evolution
Likelihood Functions
Sequence Analysis, DNA
New Zealand
Evolution, Molecular
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40886870/