Evaluating species origins within tropical sky?islands arthropod communities

Aim To (a) evaluate whether colonization of newly emerged high-elevation habitats occurred from neighbouring highlands (allopatric divergence and niche conservatism) or within the same mountain (peripatric parapatric shift) (b) test for effect past landscape configurations in geographically structuring biodiversity (a West–East structure spanning central part Transmexican Volcanic Belt). Location Belt, Mexico. Taxa Coleoptera Araneae. Methods Araneae communities were collected a comparative sampling framework. Seven sky-islands sampled two separated by altitude. Samples individually sequenced region mtDNA COI gene to delimit Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) haplotypes them. Richness was estimated at community level, as well genetic diversity among mountains habitats. The tested with null model an analysis variance permutations. Results Few OTUs shared between Abies forests alpine grasslands. High beta found across mountains. Beta West East grouping is higher than expected chance. Main conclusions Our results indicate that other followed allopatric dominates source OTU formation, despite some probable connectivity during glacial periods existed, ancient structures persist.