Three Continents Claiming an Archipelago: The Evolution of Aegean’s Herpetofaunal Diversity

Lymberakis, Petros; Poulakakis, Nikos

doi:10.3390/d2020233

Cited by 85 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Their geological histories are diverse (Lymberakis & Poulakakis, 2010), and the landscapes are a patchwork of dwarf Mediterranean scrub (locally called 'phrygana'), sclerophyllous evergreen maquis and agricultural areas (Fielding, Turland, & Mathew, 2005). Their geological histories are diverse (Lymberakis & Poulakakis, 2010), and the landscapes are a patchwork of dwarf Mediterranean scrub (locally called 'phrygana'), sclerophyllous evergreen maquis and agricultural areas (Fielding, Turland, & Mathew, 2005).…”

Section: Study Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inconsistent patterns of body size evolution in co‐occurring island reptiles

Itescu

Schwarz

Donihue

et al. 2018

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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Aim Animal body sizes are often remarkably variable across islands, but despite much research we still have a poor understanding of both the patterns and the drivers of body size evolution. Theory predicts that interspecific competition and predation pressures are relaxed on small, remote islands, and that these conditions promote body size evolution. We studied body size variation across multiple insular populations of 16 reptile species co‐occurring in the same archipelago and tested which island characteristics primarily drive body size evolution, the nature of the common patterns, and whether co‐occurring species respond in a similar manner to insular conditions. Location Aegean Sea islands. Time period 1984–2016. Major taxa studied Reptiles. Methods We combined fieldwork, museum measurements and a comprehensive literature survey to collect data on nearly 10,000 individuals, representing eight lizard and eight snake species across 273 islands. We also quantified a large array of predictors to assess directly the effects of island area, isolation (both spatial and temporal), predation and interspecific competition on body size evolution. We used linear models and meta‐analyses to determine which predictors are informative for all reptiles, for lizards and snakes separately, and for each species. Results Body size varies with different predictors across the species we studied, and patterns differ within families and between lizards and snakes. Each predictor influenced body size in at least one species, but no general trend was recovered. As a group, lizards are hardly affected by any of the predictors we tested, whereas snake size generally increases with area and with competitor and predator richness, and decreases with isolation. Main conclusions No factor emerges as a predominant driver of Aegean reptile sizes. This contradicts theories of general body size evolutionary trajectories on islands. We conclude that overarching generalizations oversimplify patterns and processes of reptile body size evolution on islands. Instead, species’ autecology and island particularities interact to drive the course of size evolution.

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Section: Study Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inconsistent patterns of body size evolution in co‐occurring island reptiles

Itescu

Schwarz

Donihue

et al. 2018

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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“…There are several studies on land gastropods, but also on butterflies, beetles, terrestrial isopods, scorpions, frogs and lizards, and also plants (Beerli et al, 1996;Sfenthourakis, 1996, Douris et al, 1998, 2007Chatzimanolis et al, 2003;Parmakelis et al, 2003Parmakelis et al, , 2005Parmakelis et al, , 2006aPoulakakis et al, 2003Poulakakis et al, , 2005aBittkau & Comes, 2005;Kasapidis et al, 2005;Klossa-Kilia et al, 2006;Lymberakis et al, 2007;Poulakakis & Sfenthourakis, 2008;Papadopoulou et al, 2009;Lymberakis & Poulakakis, 2010), which suggest that the present distributions of most terrestrial Aegean taxa were shaped primarily through vicariant phenomena that resulted from the complex geological history of the eastern Mediterranean and particularly that of the Aegean archipelago. Nevertheless, dispersal over sea or through occasional land bridges was also involved (see Douris et al, 1998;Dennis et al, 2000;Kasapidis et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do diversity patterns of the spring-inhabiting snail Bythinella (Gastropoda, Bythinellidae) on the Aegean Islands reflect geological history?

et al. 2015

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To explain the origin of the differentiation of the spring-inhabiting fauna on an island system, this study focused on the Aegean Islands and the Bythinella snails as a model organism. We inferred the phylogeographic pattern of the Aegean Bythinella with two molecular markers, and compared the inferred pattern with the geological history of the region and the estimated levels of biodiversity of Bythinella in Greece. 95 sequences of COI and 60 of ITS-1 were obtained from samples collected from Andros, Crete, Naxos, Chios, Kithira, and western Turkey, and pooled with previously published sequences from continental Greece. Phylogenetic analysis based on the COI revealed seven new clades. On Crete, three distinct clades were identified. The estimated divergence time indicated that the geological history of the island, which was divided into smaller islands until 2-3 Mya, was most probably responsible for such high diversity. Bythinella populations inhabiting Turkey were distinct from the Aegean populations, and the divergence began after the Zanclean flood (5.3 Mya). Shell morphology and anatomy of reproductive organs confirmed that molecularly distinct clades were real entities. Biodiversity analysis revealed that, in addition to five previously known Bythinella hotspots, there is a sixth in central Greece.Keywords Origin and history of spring fauna Á Springs as ephemeral habitats Á mtDNA Á COI Á ITS-1 Á Morphology Á Phylogeography Á Biodiversity

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“…Note added in proof: Recently, Lymberakis & Poulakakis (2010) assessed the historical biogeography of reptiles and amphibians in the circum‐Aegean region. Based on their earlier work, they date the isolation of Crete from Anatolia at about 12‐9 Ma, from Peloponissos at about 5 Ma, and the divergence of Pelophylax cretensis from the other Western Palaearctic water frogs they examined at about 5.2 Ma.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogeographic patterns of genetic diversity in eastern Mediterranean water frogs were determined by geological processes and climate change in the Late Cenozoic

Akın

Bilgin

Beerli

et al. 2010

Journal of Biogeography

115

106

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Aim Our aims were to assess the phylogeographic patterns of genetic diversity in eastern Mediterranean water frogs and to estimate divergence times using different geological scenarios. We related divergence times to past geological events and discuss the relevance of our data for the systematics of eastern Mediterranean water frogs. Location The eastern Mediterranean region. Methods Genetic diversity and divergence were calculated using sequences of two protein-coding mitochondrial (mt) genes: ND2 (1038 bp, 119 sequences) and ND3 (340 bp, 612 sequences). Divergence times were estimated in a Bayesian framework under four geological scenarios representing alternative possible geological histories for the eastern Mediterranean. We then compared the different scenarios using Bayes factors and additional geological data. Results Extensive genetic diversity in mtDNA divides eastern Mediterranean water frogs into six main haplogroups (MHG). Three MHGs were identified on the Anatolian mainland; the most widespread MHG with the highest diversity is distributed from western Anatolia to the northern shore of the Caspian Sea, including the type locality of Pelophylax ridibundus. The other two Anatolian MHGs are restricted to south-eastern Turkey, occupying localities west and east of the Amanos mountain range. One of the remaining three MHGs is restricted to Cyprus; a second to the Levant; the third was found in the distribution area of European lake frogs (P. ridibundus group), including the Balkans. Main conclusions Based on geological evidence and estimates of genetic divergence we hypothesize that the water frogs of Cyprus have been isolated from the Anatolian mainland populations since the end of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC), i.e. since c. 5.5-5.3 Ma, while our divergence time estimates indicate that the isolation of Crete from the mainland populations (Peloponnese, Anatolia) most likely pre-dates the MSC. The observed rates of divergence imply a time window of c. 1.6-1.1 million years for diversification of the largest Anatolian MHG; divergence between the two other Anatolian MHGs may have begun about 3.0 Ma, apparently as a result of uplift of the Amanos Mountains. Our mtDNA data suggest that the Anatolian water frogs and frogs from Cyprus represent several undescribed species.

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Three Continents Claiming an Archipelago: The Evolution of Aegean’s Herpetofaunal Diversity

Cited by 85 publications

References 60 publications

Inconsistent patterns of body size evolution in co‐occurring island reptiles

Inconsistent patterns of body size evolution in co‐occurring island reptiles

Do diversity patterns of the spring-inhabiting snail Bythinella (Gastropoda, Bythinellidae) on the Aegean Islands reflect geological history?

Phylogeographic patterns of genetic diversity in eastern Mediterranean water frogs were determined by geological processes and climate change in the Late Cenozoic

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