Comparative phylogeography and population demography of the seed beetle genus Stator

Insects in the seed beetle genus Stator show significant differences in niche breadth: some are extreme specialists, others moderate specialists, and still others extreme generalists. In addition, species range from having very limited geographic ranges to having ranges that span from Venezuela to California. Previous phylogenetic research on this genus and phylogeographic analysis of the S. limbatus + S. beali clade revealed an interesting interplay between host-shifting, specialization, and geography. In this poster, we present results based on both a nuclear and a mitochondrial gene of how these factors interact to shape both the geographic distribution of genotypes across multiple species (interspecific phylogeography) and how they shape the historical demography of multiple species within this genus. We are then able to use this information within a comparative context to determine whether the phylogeographic and historical demographic signature of specialization and speciation found previously in S. limbatus + S. beali is a general phenomenon throughout the genus.