Data from: A major shift in diversification rate helps explain macroevolutionary patterns in primate species diversity

Primates represent one of the most species rich, wide ranging and ecologically diverse clades of mammals. What major macroevolutionary factors have driven their diversification and contributed to the modern distribution of Primate species remains widely debated. We employed phylogenetic comparative methods to examine the role of clade age and evolutionary rate heterogeneity in the modern distribution of species diversity of Primates. Primate diversification has accelerated since its origin, with decreased extinction leading to a shift to even higher evolutionary rates in the most species rich family (Cercopithecidae). Older primate clades tended to be more diverse, however a shift in evolutionary rate was necessary to adequately explain the imbalance in species diversity. Species richness was also poorly explained by geographic distribution, especially once clade age and evolutionary rate shifts were accounted for, and may relate instead to other ecological factors. The global distribution of primate species diversity appears to have been strongly impacted by heterogeneity in evolutionary rates.

灵长类是哺乳动物中物种丰富度最高、分布范围最广且生态多样性最强的演化支（clade）之一。究竟哪些主要的宏观演化因素推动了灵长类的物种多样化，并塑造了现今灵长类物种的分布格局，这一问题至今仍广受争议。本研究采用系统发育比较方法，探究演化支年龄与演化速率异质性在灵长类物种多样性现今分布格局中所扮演的角色。灵长类的物种多样化自起源以来持续加速，灭绝率的降低使得物种丰富度最高的猴科（Cercopithecidae）的演化速率进一步提升。较古老的灵长类演化支通常具有更高的物种丰富度，但仅靠演化支年龄无法充分解释物种多样性的失衡现象，演化速率的转变是必要的补充因素。地理分布对物种丰富度的解释力较弱，尤其是在控制了演化支年龄与演化速率转变的影响后，这表明物种丰富度或与其他生态因素相关。灵长类物种多样性的全球分布格局似乎受到演化速率异质性的强烈影响。