Out of India, thrice: diversification of Asian forest scorpions reveals three colonizations of Southeast Asia

A groundbreaking study on Asian forest scorpions challenges the traditional 'Out of India' hypothesis, revealing three distinct colonization events into Southeast Asia during the Cenozoic era. By integrating divergence time estimation, ancestral range analysis, and diversification modeling, researchers traced the evolutionary journey of Heterometrinae scorpions from their African origins through the Cretaceous to their current distribution across South and Southeast Asia. The findings indicate that environmental stresses during the KT mass extinction led to range contractions in southern India and Sri Lanka's Central Highlands, followed by three dispersal events as the Indian subcontinent collided with Eurasia. This study not only refines our understanding of scorpion biogeography but also provides a framework for interpreting the complex dispersal patterns of other taxa in this biodiverse region.

Loria, S. F., & Prendini, L. (2020). Out of India, thrice: diversification of Asian forest scorpions reveals three colonizations of Southeast Asia. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78183-8