Data from: Non-reef environments impact the diversification of extant jacks, remoras and allies (Carangoidei, Percomorpha)

Various factors may impact the processes of diversification of a clade. In the marine realm it has been shown that coral reef environments have promoted diversification in various fish groups. With the exception of requiem sharks, all the groups showing higher level of diversity in reefs than in non-reef habitats have diets based predominantly on plankton, algae, or benthic invertebrates. Here we explore the pattern of diversification of carangoid fishes, a clade that includes numerous piscivorous species (e.g. trevallies, jacks and dolphinfishes), using time-calibrated phylogenies as well as ecological and morphological data from both extant and fossil species. The study of carangoid morphospace suggests that reef environments played a role in their early radiation during the Eocene. However, contrary to the hypothesis of a reef-association promoting effect, we show that habitat shifts to non-reef environments have increased the rates of morphological diversification (i.e. size and body shape) in extant carangoids. Piscivory did not have a major impact on the tempo of diversification of this group. Through the ecological radiation of carangoid fishes, we demonstrate that non-reef environments may sustain and promote processes of diversification of different marine fish groups, at least those including a large proportion of piscivorous species.