Deciphering patterns of transoceanic dispersal: the evolutionary origin and biogeography of coastal lizards (Cryptoblepharus) in the Western Indian Ocean region

Abstract

Aim Cryptoblepharus is a genus of small arboreal or rock-dwelling scincid lizards, widespread through the Indo-Pacific and Australian regions, with a disjunct outlier in the Malagasy region. The taxonomy within this genus is controversial, with different authors ranking the different forms (now some 36) at various levels, from different species to subspecies of a single species, Cryptoblepharus boutonii. We investigated the biogeography and genetic differentiation of the Cryptoblepharus from the Western Indian Ocean region, in order to understand their origin and history.

The Generation of a Biodiversity Hotspot: Biogeography and Phylogeography of the Western Indian Ocean Islands

“…Thus Pemba has several well-known endemics such as the Pemba flying fox (Robinson et al 2010), a Mops bat (Stanley 2008), Pemba scops-owl (Fuchs et al 2008), Pemba white-eye (Vaughan 1929), and four other bird species, or subspecies (Vaughan 1929;Catry et al 2000), a day gecko (Phelsuma parkeri) (Rodder, Hawlitschek, and Glaw 2010), a damselfly (Dijkstra, Clausnitzer, and Martens 2007), and several others. Coastal lizards have unique haplotypes on Pemba, differing from those found on the other islands, and those shared between, Unguja and the Tanzanian coast, which is consistent with relatively long island isolation (Rocha et al 2006). Freshwater snails may have an endemic species on the archipelago, and also show genetic divergence among Pemba and Mafia islands (Stothard, Loxton, and Rollinson 2002).…”

“…The ancestor of most lizards, frogs, lemurs, tenrecs, and at least some freshwater fish, are now all thought to have arrived via relatively recent long distance dispersal during the time the landmasses were in, or close to today's position (Vences et al 2004;Raxworthy, Forstner, and Nussbaum 2002;Rocha, Carretero, and Harris 2005;Rocha et al 2006Rocha et al , 2007. In fact, our review (Table 1) demonstrates that the majority, some 230 independent biogeographic histories (clades), must be explained by ancestral dispersal followed by diversification, while only 16 clades reviewed are potentially old enough to be explained by diversification through Gondwanan vicariance.…”

One species for one island? Unexpected diversity and weak connectivity in a widely distributed tropical hydrozoan

“…This assumption is supported by the presence of both cryptic species of L. brevirostris α and β in the WIO and the TSP (Postaire et al, 2016b). The importance of rafting in the marine environment, above all in species presenting direct development, is increasingly recognized (DeVantier, 1992;Johnson et al, 2001;Thiel and Gutow, 2005;Thiel and Haye, 2006;Rocha et al, 2006).…”

Spatial and temporal arrival patterns of Madagascar's vertebrate fauna explained by distance, ocean currents, and ancestor type

“…Although recent research has defended the importance of dispersal in shaping the faunal composition of Madagascar (7,(19)(20)(21), and for animal distributions in general (22)(23)(24)(25), this study is unique in rigorously testing these ideas. First, we have shown that dispersal ability affected the probability of arrival more in the Cenozoic than in the Mesozoic, likely because, during the entire Cenozoic, Madagascar was fully isolated physically from other landmasses and all arrivals were, of necessity, via transoceanic dispersal.…”