Data from: Phylogenomic insights into the diversification of salamanders in the Isthmura bellii group across the Mexican highlands

Mountain formation in Mexico has played an important role in the
diversification of many Mexican taxa. The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in
particular has served as both a cradle of diversification and conduit for
dispersal. We investigated the evolutionary history of the Isthmura bellii
group of salamanders, a widespread amphibian across the Mexican highlands,
using sequence capture of ultraconserved elements. Results suggest that
the I. bellii group probably originated in southeastern Mexico in the late
Miocene and later dispersed across the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and
into the Sierra Madre Occidental. Pre-Pleistocene uplift of the
Trans-Volcanic Belt likely promoted early diversification by serving as a
mesic land-bridge across central Mexico. These findings highlight the
importance of the Trans-Volcanic Belt in generating Mexico’s rich
biodiversity.