Genetic diversity varies with species traits and latitude in predatory soil arthropods (Myriapoda: Chilopoda)

Aim To investigate the drivers of intra-specific genetic diversity in
centipedes, a group of ancient predatory soil arthropods. Location Asia,
Australasia and Europe Time period Present Major taxa studied Centipedes
(Class: Chilopoda) Methods We assembled a database of 1245 mitochondrial
cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences representing 128 centipede
species from all five orders of Chilopoda. This sequence dataset was used
to estimate genetic diversity for centipede species and compare its
distribution with estimates from other arthropod groups. We studied the
variation in centipede genetic diversity with species traits and
biogeography using a beta regression framework, controlling for the effect
of shared evolutionary history within a family. Results A wide variation
in genetic diversity across centipede species (0 to 0.1713) falls towards
the higher end of values among arthropods. Overall, 27.57% of the
variation in mitochondrial COI genetic diversity in centipedes was
explained by a combination of predictors related to life history and
biogeography. Genetic diversity decreased with body size and latitudinal
position of sampled localities, was greater in species showing maternal
care and increased with geographic distance among conspecifics. Main
conclusions Centipedes fall towards the higher end of genetic diversity
among arthropods, which may be related to their long evolutionary history
and low dispersal ability. In centipedes, the negative association of body
size with genetic diversity may be mediated by its influence on local
abundance or the influence of ecological strategy on long-term population
history. Species with maternal care had higher genetic diversity, which
goes against expectations and needs further scrutiny. Hemispheric
differences in genetic diversity can be due to historic climatic stability
and lower seasonality in the southern hemisphere. Overall, we find that
despite the differences in mean genetic diversity among animals, similar
processes related to life history strategy and biogeography are associated
with the variation within them.