Bourguignon T., Lo N., Šobotník J., Ho S.Y.W., Iqbal N., Coissac E., An M.L., Jendryka M., Sillam-Dusses D., Křížková B., Roisin Y. & Evans T.A. 2017: Mitochondrial phylogenomics resolves the global spread of higher termites, ecosystem engineers of the tropics. Molecular Biology and Evolution 34: 589-597.
Termitidae are keystone species and ecosystem engineers in tropics, reaching the highest abundances and diversities in rainforests. We formulated a new phylogenetic hypothesis on advance termite evolution using analyses of mitochondrial genomes from 415 species, including all higher termite taxonomic and feeding groups. The group evolved in the late Eocene (about 54 Ma), postdating the breakup of Pangaea and Gondwana. We showed that higher termites originated in Africa and subsequently underwent at least 24 dispersal events between the continents.