Diversity and evolution of South Pacific Eumolpinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and the role of New Caledonia in their diversification

The South Pacific is an intriguing region for studying evolutionary biology, presenting an exceptional diversity and complex geological and environmental characteristics. New Caledonia, in particular, hosts a rich and unique biodiversity with outstanding levels of endemism at different scales. The h...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Platania, Leonardo
Tipo de recurso: tesis doctoral
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:CBUC, CESCA
Repositorio:TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red
OAI Identifier:oai:www.tdx.cat:10803/689177
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10803/689177
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Evolution
Entomology
Biogeography
Taxonomy
Zealandia
Evolución
Entomología
Biogeografía
Taxonomía
575
Descripción
Sumario:The South Pacific is an intriguing region for studying evolutionary biology, presenting an exceptional diversity and complex geological and environmental characteristics. New Caledonia, in particular, hosts a rich and unique biodiversity with outstanding levels of endemism at different scales. The hyper-diverse Eumolpinae leaf-beetles are particularly rich and highly endemic in the region and are poorly known under many aspects. Integrating taxonomy, macroevolution, and biogeography, this thesis improves our understanding on the diversity and evolution of this group in South Pacific. Twenty new species of the genera Taophila and Tricholapita have been described from New Caledonia and the phylogenetic relationship among them has been assessed. This diversity is the result of allopatric speciation and a slow-down in diversification dynamics which may be associated with the current micro-endemic distribution pattern, influenced by geo-environmental changes. Finally, in a wider scale, New Caledonia can be considered a pump and hub of biodiversity for the Eumolpinae that colonised the South Pacific with repeated dispersal events during the Neogene.