特提斯是位于劳亚大陆和冈瓦纳大陆之间的古海洋，现已转化为阿尔卑斯—青藏巨型造山带，是全球生物多样性研究的热点地区。多个类群的生物地理和系统演化历史表明，特提斯的变化促进了水生动物的多样性分化，但特提斯是否也对陆生动物的分化造成了影响，却很少有证据表明。本申请项目将依据前期研究所获得的证据，以整个旧大陆（包括欧洲、亚洲和非洲）的幽灵蛛亚科蜘蛛为材料，结合地质变迁历史，开展分子系统学研究，探讨东特提斯发生的重大地质变化（印度板块与亚洲大陆碰撞导致青藏高原隆升和特提斯海退事件）对该亚科蜘蛛多样性分化所造成的影响，解释该亚科蜘蛛的分布格局形成原因。本项目将有可能是第一次以大空间格局的陆生动物为研究对象，来阐明特提斯的变化对生物多样性分化的影响。

The Tethys Ocean, existed between the continents of Laurasia and Gondwana, has become the large Alps–Qinghai and Tibet orogenic belt and is a hotspot for biodiversity in the world. Analyses of multiple biogeographic and phylogenetic histories reveal that the Tethyan changes shaped aquatic diversification, however, less evidence shown its effect on terrestrial animals. In this project, we are going to collect Pholcinae specimens from the Old Word (Europe, Asia and Africa), and carry out molecular systematics studies combining with paleogeological evidence, based on our previous study. We try to reveal that how eastern Tethyan changes (the collision of India and Asia led to the uplift of Qinghai–Tibetan plateau and the Tethyan regression) shape the diversification and the distribution pattern of Pholcinae. Our discoveries may be the first evidence to illustrate the effect of Tethyan changes on diversification of terrestrial animals in large spatial pattern.