Effects of climate and geography on spatial patterns of genetic structure in tropical skinks

Publication date: Available online 20 October 2019Source: Molecular Phylogenetics and EvolutionAuthor(s): Danielle Rivera, Ivan Prates, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues, Ana Carolina CarnavalAbstractKnowledge of how contemporary and historical factors drive patterns of genetic structure across geographic space can shed light on the processes underlying diversification. This approach is especially fruitful in studies of widespread species or species clades that occur across multiple environmental conditions and biomes. In the Neotropics, specifically, molecular data from widespread vertebrate species have revealed high levels of lineage diversity and spatial genetic structure – yet studies that explore the possible correlates of local structure patterns are lacking. We investigate the distribution of lineage diversity within two widespread South American skink species complexes of the genus Mabuya. We characterize genetic structure and diversity in these widely ranged lizards, and identify potential geographic and environmental correlates, to shed light on the processes that promote lineage diversification across the heterogeneous landscapes which they occupy. In both groups, we found mitochondrial lineages to be spatially structured along the coastal forests and the savannas of Brazil. These mtDNA patterns are, however, not shared with those inferred from nuclear DNA markers. The geographic location of major mitochondrial genetic breaks is consistent with those of other taxa, sugge...

Source: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution - October 21, 2019 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research