Phylogeny and phylogeography of Diestramima cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae): speciation driven by multiple dispersal and vicariance events

Cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) are an understudied family with poor dispersal abilities and broad distributions, which makes them ideal for investigations of historical biogeography. Within Rhaphidophoridae, Diestramima is the largest genus of the tribe Diestramimini, and most species are endemic to China. It was divided into three subgenera based only on morphological characteristics, and no molecular evidence has been previously reported. Here, we reconstruct the phylogeny and phylogeography of Diestramima based on three mitochondrial (COI, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) and two nuclear fragments (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA). A total of 114 samples representing 28 morphological species were sampled from China. Molecular phylogenies were reconstructed using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood and four approaches (ABGD, jMOTU, GMYC and bPTP) were employed to delimit species. Phylogenetic analyses highly supported the monophyly of Diestramima, but did not support the classification system consisting of three subgenera. Species delimitation methods suggested 28 species, among which six new species were described: Diestramima furcata Zhu & Shi sp. n., Diestramima spinata Zhu & Shi sp. n., Diestramima qionglaiensis Zhu & Shi sp. n., Diestramima taiwanensis Zhu & Shi sp. n., Diestramima longifolia Zhu & Shi sp. n., Diestramima sichuanensis Zhu & Shi sp. n. Divergence time estimation and reconstruction of ancestral areas indicated that Diestramima may have originated from Southern Yunnan at 17.72 Ma (95% highest probability density: 14.71-21.05 Ma) in the early Miocene. The initial divergence within the genus was likely to be correlated with geographical isolation. Most speciation events have occurred since the Pliocene, possibly driven by multiple dispersal and vicariance events and influenced by the uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau and climate change. ZooBank URL: . . . . . . .