Data from: Detecting ancient co-dispersals and host shifts by double dating of host and parasite phylogenies: application in proctophyllodid feather mites associated with passerine birds

Inferring co-phylogeographic events requires matching the timing of these
events on both host and symbiont (e.g., parasites) phylogenies because
divergences of hosts and their symbionts may not temporally coincide, and
host switches may occur. We investigate a large radiation of birds
(Passeriformes) and their permanent symbionts, the proctophyllodid feather
mites (117 species from 116 bird species; 6 genes, 11,468 nt aligned)
using two time-calibration strategies for mites: fossils only and host
phylogeography only. Out of 10 putative co-phylogeographic events 4 agree
in timing for both symbiont and host events being synchronous co-origins
or co-dispersals; 3 were based on host shifts, but agree in timing being
very close to the origin of modern hosts; 2 disagree; and 1 large basal
mite split was seemingly independent from host phylogeography. Among these
events was an ancient (21-25.3 Mya), synchronous co-dispersal from the Old
World leading to the origin and diversifications of New World emberizoid
passerids and their mites, the thraupis+quadratus species groups of
Proctophyllodes. Our framework offers a more robust detection of host and
symbiont co-phylogeographic events (as compared to host-symbiont
reconciliation analysis and using host phylogeography for
time-calibration) and provides independent data for testing alternative
hypotheses on timing of host diversification and dispersal.