From Europe to Caucasus: cryptic diversity and unexpected biogeographic history of a Western Palaearctic moss-inhabiting flea beetle (Chrysomelidae: <i>Mniophila</i>)
Journal: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
Year: 2024

Abstract The turbulent Tertiary and Quaternary history of Europe and the Ponto-Caucasus has had a strong impact on its biota, resulting in unusual patterns of speciation, diversification, and dispersal. Our study reveals the Late-Tertiary diversification and biogeographic history of Mniophila, a Western Palaearctic endemic moss-inhabiting flightless flea beetle distributed across Europe and the Ponto-Caucasus. We assembled samples across the whole range of the genus except Crimea. Based on a mol