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Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Student Competition 10-Minute Paper

Grad SysEB: Phylogenetics and Phylogenomics

Establishing a robust combined-evidence phylogeny of the trapdoor spider genus Aptostichus (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Euctenizidae)

Monday, November 1, 2021
8:12 AM - 8:24 AM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 205
In-Person Student Competition
The trapdoor spider genus Aptostichus comprises forty-one species, most of which are primarily restricted to the California Floristic Province, a known biodiversity hotspot; however, four species inhabit Nevada, Arizona, and Oaxaca, Mexico. Aptostichus range widely in size and coloration as well as occupy a variety of habitats ranging from arid deserts to coastal dunes to high elevation alpine habitat. Additionally, Aptostichus has a relatively high amount of species diversity when compared to other euctenizid genera and the majority of other mygalomorph groups. High species diversity and inhabiting a diversity of habitats underscore the pattern of an adaptive radiation in the genus, making them ideal organisms for investigating speciation pattern and process, character evolution, and adaptation. A previous study by Bond (2012) constructed a morphology-only phylogeny of the genus with uncertainty for several interspecific relationships. Building on this previous morphological work, we increased taxon sampling to include a recently described species (41 total) and used a sequence capture method (i.e., ultraconserved elements) to generate genomic-scale data. We were successful in sequencing UCEs from historical ethanol-preserved museum specimens; thus, we were able to include rare and presumed extinct Aptostichus species in both molecular and morphological datasets. From our datasets we established a robust ‘combined-evidence’ phylogeny to provide a framework for exploring evolutionary phenomena. Specifically, we evaluate diversification rates within the genus, the evolution of characters associated with different habitat types (i.e., coastal dunes and desert), and how the patterns of diversification were potentially affected by geological events and ecological differences.