Phylogenomic inference and demographic model selection suggest peripatric separation of the cryptic steppe ant species Plagiolepis pyrenaica stat. rev.

The ant Plagiolepis taurica Santschi, 1920 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) is a typical species of the Eurasian steppes, a large grassland-dominated biome that stretches continuously from Central Asia to Eastern Europe and is represented by disjunct outposts also in Central and Western Europe. The extent of this biome has been influenced by the Pleistocene climate, and steppes expanded recurrently during cold stages and contracted in warm stages. Consequently, stenotopic steppe species such as P. taurica repeatedly went through periods of demographic expansion and severe isolation. Here, we explore the impact of these dynamics on the genetic diversification within P. taurica. Delimitation of P. taurica from other Plagiolepis species has been unclear since its initial description, which raised questions on both its classification and its spatiotemporal diversification early on. We re‐evaluate species limits and explore underlying mechanisms driving speciation by using an integrative approach b..., Morphometric measurements are provided in Excel tables and geometric morphometry landmarks are provided as tps file.
The corresponding methods and the character definition are provided in the Supplementary Material of the manuscript., , # Phylogenomic inference and demographic model selection suggest peripatric separation of the cryptic steppe ant species Plagiolepis pyrenaica stat. rev.

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.c866t1g9f](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.c866t1g9f)

Data description: Morphometric measurements are provided in Excel tables and geometric morphometry landmarks are provided as tps file. The corresponding methods and the character definition are provided in the Supplementary Material of the manuscript.

The file \"workers_individuals.xlsx\" contains raw data of morphometric measurements from individual workers of Plagiolepis pyrenaica and P. taurica.

Abbreviations: HYP=classification by traditional morphometry; nuDNA = classification by RAD sequencing

The file \"Nest_sample_means_RAV.xlsx\" contains per nest sample means of allometrically corrected morphometric data  of workers of Plagiolepis pyrenaica and Pl. taurica. LAT, LON, ALT = geographic latitude, longitude and altitude; HYP=classification by trad...