Understanding the factors that shape insect distributions is essential for interpreting biological systems and predicting their responses to environmental change. Species distribution models provide robust tools for examining these processes. This study highlights the complementary use of multivariate statistical approaches and phylogenetic reconstruction to integrate ecological and evolutionary perspectives. As a case study, we focus on the longhorned beetle genus Exalphus, a diverse group with well-established taxonomy but limited information regarding its environmental associations. The main objective was to detect climatic groupings within the genus and quantify the Neotropical biomes in which these assemblages are most strongly represented, as well as to evaluate whether these patterns exhibit any phylogenetic structure. To address these questions, we applied species distribution models, multivariate analyses, and phylogenetic inference. Two major climatic assemblages emerged: one potentially associated with tropical rainforests and another potentially associated to savannas and seasonally dry forests. Ancestral state reconstruction suggested that the common ancestor of Exalphus likely inhabited humid forest environments, with subsequent transitions into drier conditions. However, species adapted to dry climates occurred across unrelated clades, indicating a lack of phylogenetic structure. This pattern supports repeated ecological convergence rather than shared ancestry, underscoring the evolutionary flexibility of Neotropical insects.
Tropical rainforests, Seasonally dry forest, Species Distributions Models, Principal component analysis, Non-metric multidimensional scaling
