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Additional Editor Comments:

Dear Editor,

Overall, the study addresses an interesting topic, but several aspects require revision in revised manuscript. I have outlined the following suggestions below.

I.The author name and year of publication for a scientific name (genus or species) should be included the first time it appears in the manuscript. In subsequent mentions, the author name and year may be omitted.

II.Several sentences lack the necessary references and require careful revision to include appropriate citations.

III.The name of the museum where the samples were examined should be provided, along with details regarding specimen deposition. Additionally, the reference(s) used for taxonomic identification should be cited.

IV.In the phylogenetic trees, species names should be accompanied by their corresponding codes, as several species are listed under "spp." This will help distinguish them clearly and facilitate future studies.

V.A scale bar should be added to the trees, and the tribe or genus should be indicated using labels placed directly on the figures.

VI.Several references are missing page numbers and should be updated accordingly.

VII.The quality of the photographs could be improved using image editing software (e.g., Photoshop) by adjusting brightness and contrast.

VIII.Figure 3 currently displays only dots without indicating any species. It would be better to color the dots to represent different species, or to label them with numbers and provide a corresponding species list.

IX. While the study uses six genes to construct the phylogeny, it doesn’t mention how many species or individuals from the genus Geopsammodius were sampled. A larger and more representative sample of species within the genus and the tribe Psammodiini would help to strengthen the conclusions drawn about species relationships and divergence. Without comprehensive sampling, the results may not be fully representative of the diversity within the genus or tribe.

X. The estimation of divergence times relies heavily on molecular clocks, which can be prone to error if the molecular clock is not calibrated properly. This can lead to inaccurate age estimates, especially if the underlying assumptions (such as constant mutation rates) do not hold true across all species. The study doesn’t clarify how the molecular clock was calibrated or how much uncertainty there might be in the divergence time estimates.

XI. The finding that Parapsammodius is placed outside Psammodiini indicates the need for future taxonomic revision. However, this raises questions about the current taxonomic boundaries and classifications. The lack of detailed discussion on why Parapsammodius was previously thought to belong within Psammodiini and the potential implications for other related genera leaves some gaps in understanding the broader taxonomic landscape.

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->?>

Reviewer #1: N/A

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Following needs to be clarified in the relevant sections:

1. While the study uses six genes to construct the phylogeny, it doesn’t mention how many species or individuals from the genus Geopsammodius were sampled. A larger and more representative sample of species within the genus and the tribe Psammodiini would help to strengthen the conclusions drawn about species relationships and divergence. Without comprehensive sampling, the results may not be fully representative of the diversity within the genus or tribe.

2. The estimation of divergence times relies heavily on molecular clocks, which can be prone to error if the molecular clock is not calibrated properly. This can lead to inaccurate age estimates, especially if the underlying assumptions (such as constant mutation rates) do not hold true across all species. The study doesn’t clarify how the molecular clock was calibrated or how much uncertainty there might be in the divergence time estimates.

3. The finding that Parapsammodius is placed outside Psammodiini indicates the need for future taxonomic revision. However, this raises questions about the current taxonomic boundaries and classifications. The lack of detailed discussion on why Parapsammodius was previously thought to belong within Psammodiini and the potential implications for other related genera leaves some gaps in understanding the broader taxonomic landscape.

Reviewer #2: The manuscript may be accepted for publication after addressing minor comments which i marked directly in the file. There are some minor corrections such such references are missing and author and years are not given for generic names.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: Dr Devanshu Gupta

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: PONE-D-26-10786.pdf

Attachment

Submitted filename: PONE-D-26-10786(R).pdf

Phylogeography of Geopsammodius Gordon and Pittino, 1992 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae): a radiation of endemic psammophilic beetles

PONE-D-26-10786R1

Dear Dr. Kyle E. Schnepp,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Muhammad Asghar Hassan, Ph.D

Academic Editor

PLOS One

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Dear Editor,

The authors have adequately addressed most of the comments and incorporated the required corrections. Therefore, after the following minor revisions are addressed, I recommend this manuscript for acceptance and publication.

Minor Comments

1.Line 75 – Please add the relevant reference.

2.Line 86 – MJ Paulsen, personal communication

1.The authors should provide evidence of this personal communication (e.g., email correspondence or written documentation).

2.If Dr. Paulsen agrees, he should also be acknowledged appropriately in the Acknowledgements section.

3.Lines 93–95 – Please provide the relevant reference(s).

4.Lines 108–112 – Please add relevant and updated references supporting the diagnosis of this tribe.

5.Line 120 – Revise to: the same tribe within Aphodiinae.

6.Lines 122–125 – Supporting reference(s) are required.

7.Lines 131–132 – The genus name appearing before -group should be italicized.

8.Lines 133–136 – The genus name Geopsammodius is repeated several times. Please retain the full genus name only at its first mention and abbreviate it thereafter.

9.Line 200 – Add sp. after Aphodius.

10.Line 427 – The authors acknowledge several colleagues. Please confirm that these individuals are aware of and have consented to being acknowledged in the manuscript.

Based on the revised manuscript and subject to the satisfactory correction of the above minor issues, I recommend acceptance for publication. Please also provide high quality figures.