Phylogeography, species delimitation and population structure of a Western Australian short-range endemic mite harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones: Pettalidae: Karripurcellia)

• Main Authors: Martin Schwentner, Gonzalo Giribet
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2018-06-01
• Series: Evolutionary Systematics
• Online Access: https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/article/25274/

The mite harvestmen of the genus Karripurcellia Giribet, 2003 are endemic to the tall, wet eucalypt forests of south-western Western Australia, a region known as a hotspot for biodiversity. Currently, there are two accepted species, K. peckorum Giribet, 2003 and K. sierwaldae Giribet, 2003, both with type localities within the Warren National Park. We obtained 65 COI mtDNA sequences from across the entire distributional range of the genus. These sequences, falling into two to three geographically separate groups, probably correspond to two species. Morphologically, all of the studied specimens correspond to K. peckorum, suggesting cryptic speciation within that species. A few common haplotypes occur in more than one population, but most haplotypes are confined to a single population. As a result, populations are genetically differentiated and gene flow after initial colonization appears to be very limited or completely lacking. Our study provides another example of short-range endemism in an invertebrate from the south-western mesic biome.