Predominant east to west colonizations across major oceanic barriers: Insights into the phylogeographic history of the hydroid superfamily Plumularioidea, suggested by a mitochondrial DNA barcoding marker

We provide preliminary insights into the global phylogeographic and evolutionary patterns across species of the hydrozoan superfamily Plumularioidea (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa). We analyzed 1,114 16S sequences of 198 putative species of Plumularioidea collected worldwide. We investigated genetic connections and divergence in relation to present‐day and ancient biogeographic barriers, climate changes and oceanic circulation. Geographical distributions of most species are generally more constrained than previously assumed. Some species able to raft are dispersed widely. Human‐mediated dispersal explains some wide geographical ranges. Trans‐Atlantic genetic connections are presently unlikely for most of the tropical‐temperate species, but were probably more frequent until the Miocene–Pliocene transition, before restriction of the Tethys Sea and the Central American Seaway. Trans‐Atlantic colonizations were predominantly directed westwards through (sub)tropical waters. The Azores were colonized multiple times and through different routes, mainly from the east Atlantic, at least since the Pliocene. Extant geminate clades separated by the Isthmus of Panama have predominantly Atlantic origin. Various ancient colonizations mainly directed from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic occurred through the Tethys Sea and around South Africa in periods of lower intensity of the Benguela upwelling. Thermal tolerance, population sizes, dispersal strategies, oceanic currents, substrate preference, and land barriers are important factors for dispersal and speciation of marine hydroids.