Data from: Why is Madagascar special? The extraordinarily slow evolution of pelican spiders (Araneae, Archaeidae)

Although Madagascar is an ancient fragment of Gondwana, the majority of
taxa studied thus far appear to have reached the island through dispersal
from Cenozoic times. Ancient lineages may have experienced a different
history compared to more recent Cenozoic arrivals, as such lineages would
have encountered geoclimatic shifts over an extended time period. The
motivation for this study was to unravel the signature of diversification
in an ancient lineage by comparing an area known for major geoclimatic
upheavals (Madagascar) versus other areas where the environment has been
relatively stable. Archaeid spiders are an ancient paleoendemic group with
unusual predatory behaviors and spectacular trophic morphology that likely
have been on Madagascar since its isolation. We examined disparities
between Madagascan archaeids and their non-Madagascan relatives regarding
timing of divergence, rates of trait evolution, and distribution patterns.
Results reveal an increased rate of adaptive trait diversification in
Madagascan archaeids. Furthermore, geoclimatic events in Madagascar over
long periods of time may have facilitated high species richness due to
montane refugia and stability, rainforest refugia, and also ecogeographic
shifts, allowing for the accumulation of adaptive traits. This research
suggests that time alone, coupled with more ancient geoclimatic events
allowed for the different patterns in Madagascar.