An Integrative approach to the systematics and evolution of some selected reptile groups from Arabia
Until relatively recently, many groups of terrestrial reptiles were considered to contain only few species vastly distributed across the Arabian Peninsula. This was mostly the result of the apparent morphological uniformity of these groups in combination with their geographic ranges, often overlappi...
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| Format: | doctoral thesis |
| Status: | Published version |
| Publication Date: | 2018 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | CBUC, CESCA |
| Repository: | TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:www.tdx.cat:10803/664731 |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10803/664731 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Giogeography Diversification Ecological especialitzation Endemicity Species delimitation Taxonomy Aràbia Evolució Filogènia Rèptils 575 |
| Summary: | Until relatively recently, many groups of terrestrial reptiles were considered to contain only few species vastly distributed across the Arabian Peninsula. This was mostly the result of the apparent morphological uniformity of these groups in combination with their geographic ranges, often overlapping with politically unstable regions in which scientific research has been hampered for centuries. However, our understanding of the diversity inhabiting these unexplored areas changed with the onset of molecular phylogenetic methods that became extensively available and routinely applied to tackle a broad set of evolutionary questions. This thesis focuses on resolving the systematics, biogeography and evolution of four selected groups of reptiles from Arabia, using an unprecedented sampling of over 1,000 tissues for genetic analyses and more than 900 voucher specimens. For some taxa, we inferred time-calibrated phylogenies, and we reconstructed their biogeographical history and their morphological evolution. For many others, we unexpectedly discovered high levels of genetic diversity and several lineages potentially representing unknown species. In the latter case, testing different species delimitation methods led to more detailed examination of the genetic, morphological and ecological data in order to resolve the taxonomy of these candidate species. As a result of that, four new species of geckos and two lacertid lizards have been formally described as part of this thesis. Essentially, most of the new species were found in the mountain regions of Arabia, stressing the importance of these poorly studied areas as recognized hotspots in terms of reptile diversity and endemicity. |
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