Evolution of nocturnal velvet ants (Hymentoptera: Mutillidae): Driven by Neogene vicariance or Pleistocene climate change?

We investigated the phylogenetic structure of multiple populations of various velvet ant species (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) from several sites within the Nearctic arid lands. The rDNA internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 & ITS2) were amplified and analyzed to determine if there was a geographic component to observed genetic variation. Bayesian analysis revealed genetic structuring between populations appears to be associated with individual arid lands. The phylogeographic structuring of these species provides insights into the processes that shaped the biota of North America’s deserts and arid lands. The deeper divergences seem to be connected to Neogene mountain building events (~10 mya), while the more recent divergences are likely associated with Pleistocene climate change (2.5 mya to 10 kya).