A story of vicariance? how the geology of oceanic archipelagos influenced the evolutionary history of endemic damselflies

•The Vitiaz arc likely played an important role in the divergence of damselfly genera.•The origin of Vanuatubasis is likely due to a vicariance event.•The island of Espiritu Santo acted as an important source for dispersal events in Vanuatu.•Biogeographical reconstructions are limited by extinct lineages and areas.