Volcanism and paleoclimate change drive diversification of world’s largest whip spider (Amblypygi)

The tropics contain many of the most biodiverse regions on Earth but the processes responsible for generating this diversity remain poorly understood. This study investigated the drivers of diversification in arthropods with stenotopic ecological requirements and limited dispersal capability using as model the monotypic whip spider (Amblypygi) genus Acanthophrynus, widespread in the tropical deciduous forests of Mexico. We hypothesized that for these organisms, the tropical deciduous forests serve as a conduit for dispersal, with their disappearance imposing barriers. Given that these forests are located in a region of complex geological history and fluctuated in extent during the Pliocene–Pleistocene glacial/interglacial cycles we couple molecular clock dating, paleoclimatic niche modeling and ancestral area reconstruction to test if and how habitat fragmentation promoted diversification in Acanthophrynus. Concomitant with the expected role of landscape change, we demonstrate that orog...