Anti-predator defenses are linked with high levels of genetic differentiation in frogs

Abstract

Predator-prey interactions have been suggested as drivers of diversity in different lineages, and the presence of anti-predator defences in some clades is linked to higher rates of diversification. Warning signals are some of the most widespread defenses in the animal world, and there is evidence of higher diversification rates in aposematic lineages. The mechanisms behind such species richness, however, are still unclear. Here, we test whether lineages that use aposematism as anti-predator defense exhibit higher levels of genetic differentiation between populations, leading to increased opportunities for divergence. We collated from the literature > 3,000 pairwise genetic differentiation values across more than 700 populations from over 60 amphibian species. We find evidence that, given the same geographic distance, populations of species of aposematic lineages exhibit greater genetic divergence relative to species that are not aposematic. Our results support a scenario where the use of warning signals could restrict dispersal of individuals, and suggest that anti-predator defences could impact gene flow levels between populations and potentially have effects at a macro-evolutionary scale.

Anti-predator defences are linked with high levels of genetic differentiation in frogs

“…Data accessibility. The datasets and code used during the current study are available from the Dryad Digital Repository: https://doi.org/ 10.5061/dryad.fxpnvx0zk [85].…”

Do aposematic species have larger range sizes? A case study with neotropical poison frogs

“…in Allobates femoralis ; Ursprung et al., 2011), specialised reproductive biology along with territoriality (Carvajal‐Castro et al., 2021), may diminish dispersal and consequently aposematic species may have smaller geographic range sizes. Maybe differences in past speciation processes play a role since divergence rates in aposematic species are higher when compared to non‐aposematic ones (Medina et al., 2024; Santos et al., 2014). Moreover, aposematism may restrict gene flow since there is greater genetic divergence among populations of aposematic anurans than among those without warning coloration (Medina et al., 2024).…”

“…Maybe differences in past speciation processes play a role since divergence rates in aposematic species are higher when compared to non‐aposematic ones (Medina et al., 2024; Santos et al., 2014). Moreover, aposematism may restrict gene flow since there is greater genetic divergence among populations of aposematic anurans than among those without warning coloration (Medina et al., 2024). Surprisingly, our results show that this (aposematic poison frogs have smaller ranges) is also not the case among poison frogs in general.…”