Multiple origins and complex evolutionary history of Cryptops centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Cryptopidae) inhabiting East Asian islands, with systematics of Japanese species

Cryptops Leach, 1814 is a genus of generally small, blind centipedes that mostly inhabit epigean habitats. With more than 150 species described worldwide, Cryptops is one of the most widespread and speciose genera within the class Chilopoda. Although previous studies have indicated a complex evolutionary history, the biogeography of Cryptops species largely remains unclear owing to a lack of molecular data from some regions such as the easternmost part of Asia. Moreover, the taxonomic status of several species from this region also remains uncertain. In this study, we addressed systematics and phylogeography of Cryptops species from East Asian islands, mainly the Japanese Archipelago and the Ryukyu Islands. Here, based on molecular phylogeny of nuclear and mitochondrial loci as well as morphology, we reexamined the taxonomic accounts of C. japonicus Takakuwa, 1934, C. navis Chamberlin, 1930, and C. striatus Takakuwa, 1936, and describe a new species, Cryptops dupliporussp. nov. Molecular phylogenetic and dating analyses showed that the East Asian species are non-monophyletic, originating from at least three independent lineages. The analyses also showed significant differences in the degree of intraspecific divergence among species, presumably reflecting different dispersal abilities and colonization histories to the East Asian islands. Our results indicate that the species richness of Cryptops on East Asian islands is an outcome of ancient relics of continental origin as well as recent radiation, possibly through colonization from southwestern Pacific islands by oceanic currents. Zoobank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E441760E-24BA-4BD8-8B99-42965349B968.