DOI: 10.5061/dryad.d468t
title: Data from: Cryptic diversity in a fig wasp community – morphologically differentiated species are sympatric but cryptic species are allopatric

description: A key debate in ecology centres on the relative importance of niche and
 neutral processes in determining patterns of community assembly with
 particular focus on whether ecologically similar species with similar
 functional traits are able to coexist. Meanwhile, molecular studies are
 increasingly revealing morphologically indistinguishable cryptic species
 with presumably similar ecological roles. Determining the geographic
 distribution of such cryptic species provides opportunities to contrast
 predictions of niche versus neutral models. Discovery of sympatric cryptic
 species increases alpha diversity and supports neutral models, while
 documentation of allopatric/parapatric cryptic species increases beta
 diversity and supports niche models. We tested these predictions using
 morphological and molecular data, coupled with environmental niche
 modelling analyses, of a fig wasp community along its 2700 km latitudinal
 range. Molecular methods increased previous species diversity estimates
 from eight to eleven species, revealing morphologically cryptic species in
 each of the four wasp genera studied. Congeneric species pairs that were
 differentiated by a key morphological functional trait (ovipositor length)
 coexisted sympatrically over large areas. In contrast, morphologically
 similar species, with similar ovipositor lengths, typically showed
 parapatric ranges with very little overlap. Despite parapatric ranges,
 environmental niche models of cryptic congeneric pairs indicate large
 regions of potential sympatry, suggesting that competitive processes are
 important in determining the distributions of ecologically similar
 species. Niche processes appear to structure this insect community and
 cryptic diversity may typically contribute mostly to beta rather than
 alpha diversity.
description: Euk_MorphMorphological measurements for ovipositor and tibia of Eukobelea fig wasps. Includes species assignment codesPhib_MorphMorphological measurements of ovipositor and tibia lengths for Philotrypesis ‘black’ wasps. Includes species assignment.Phiy_MorphMorphological measurements of ovipositor and tibia lengths for Philotrypesis ‘yellow wasps. Includes species assignment.SycLS_MorphMorphological measurements of ovipositor and tibia lengths for Sycoscapter ‘long’ and ‘short’ wasps. Includes assignments to either long or short ovipositor wasp groupings.SycSH_MorphMorphological measurements of ovipositor and tibia lengths for Sycoscapter ‘short’ wasps only. Includes species assignment designations.Wat_MorphMorphological measurements of ovipositor and tibia lengths for Watshamiella wasps. Includes species assignment designations.Table_LocationsGPS location data for all non-pollinating fig wasps in study.Eukobelea_cytbSequence data for cytochrome b for Eukobelea individuals.Eukobelea_ITS2Sequence data for ITS2 for Eukobelea individuals.Philotrypesis_cytbSequence data for cytochrome b for Philotrypesis individuals.Philotrypesis_ITS2Sycoscapter_cytbSequence data for cytochrome b for Sycoscapter individuals.Sycoscapter_ITS2Sequence data for ITS2 for Sycoscapter individuals.Watshamiella_cytbSequence data for cytochrome b for Watshamiella individuals.Watshamiella_ITS2Sequence data for ITS2 for Watshamiella individuals.