Dispersal patterns of Squamata in the Mediterranean: An evolutionary perspective

Escoriza, Daniel

doi:10.1002/ece3.8159

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…This ancient colonisation is likely related to lizard ability to cross the sea over long distances (20-45 km), which has occasionally been shown (Escoriza, 2021;Glor et al, 2005;Welt & Raxworthy, 2022). This was probably facilitated by islandto-island colonisation events and by natural drifting on sea surface currents directed towards the Aeolian archipelago from Eastern Sicily (Escoriza, 2021;Fattorini, 2010b;Stroscio et al, 2011), and supports the hypothesis that transmarine dispersal events between landmasses and islands have played a major role in biotic exchange across the Mediterranean, and in the diversification of many terrestrial vertebrates including lizards (Hewitt, 2011;Mendes et al, 2017;Salvi et al, 2021).…”

Section: Western Sicily Eastern Sicilymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing the complex colonisation histories of lizards across Mediterranean archipelagos

Sherpa,

Salvi,

Silva‐Rocha

et al. 2023

Journal of Biogeography

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AimThe Mediterranean Basin is a global biodiversity hotspot and has one of the longest histories of human–biota interactions. Islands host a large fraction of Mediterranean diversity and endemism, but the relative importance of natural versus human‐mediated colonisation processes in shaping the distribution and genetic structure of Mediterranean island fauna remains poorly understood. Here, we combine population genomics, demographic models and palaeoshoreline reconstructions to establish the island‐colonisation dynamics of wall lizards in Mediterranean archipelagos.LocationFour Mediterranean archipelagos in Italy and Croatia.TaxonThe wall lizard Podarcis siculus.MethodsWe used ddRAD sequencing to genotype 140 lizards from 23 island and mainland populations. Analyses of admixture and site frequency spectra were used to reconstruct population structure, demographic history and variation of gene flow through time. Genomic results were integrated with palaeogeographical reconstructions and were compared to archaeological evidence of human presence on these islands.ResultsAlthough many island populations of this species are assumed to be non‐native, we find that many islands were colonised long before any known human settlements (230,000–12,000 years ago). This natural colonisation most likely occurred through land bridges during glacial marine regression or by over‐sea rafting. On the other hand, islands distant from the continent were often colonised recently, and some of the estimated island colonisation times match historical records of human arrival. We also determine that long‐established island populations generally show lower genetic diversity compared to proximate mainland populations, contrary to recently colonised islands that must have experienced higher rates of post‐colonisation gene flow.Main ConclusionOur integrated approach provides us with the power to accurately quantify the origin, timing and mode of island colonisation. This framework helps to clarify the biogeographical and evolutionary history of island populations, with important implications for conservation and management of island biodiversity.

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Section: Western Sicily Eastern Sicilymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing the complex colonisation histories of lizards across Mediterranean archipelagos

Sherpa,

Salvi,

Silva‐Rocha

et al. 2023

Journal of Biogeography

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“…The Mediterranean peninsulas host a high diversity of lizards, a remarkably ecologically successful group that has diversified to occupy most of the available habitats (Corti & Cascio, 2002; Escoriza, 2021; Salvador, 2014). Our sampling shows a great richness of lacertid species in the humid Atlantic Iberian Peninsula, where several congeneric species occur allopatrically in many mountain ranges (Loureiro et al, 2008; Pleguezuelos et al, 2002) while the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula and the Italian Peninsula are relatively poorer in species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat turnover in Iberian and Italian lizards: Is it climatically, spatially, or phylogenetically determined?

Escoriza,

Pascual,

Mestre

2023

Ecosphere

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The Mediterranean peninsulas host rich assemblages of lizards, but little is known about the factors that limit their habitat use on large spatial scales. In this study, we investigated the variation in habitat use of 29 species of lacertid lizards on the Iberian and Italian peninsulas and the transitional region of southeastern France. We investigated whether the types of habitat used were phylogenetically determined or, in contrast, were more influenced by spatial or climatic effects. We characterized the vegetal composition of 483 habitats used by lacertids and estimated the contribution of each component to habitat variability using distance‐based redundancy analysis. We showed that overall turnover patterns were determined similarly in both peninsulas, despite differences in the composition of the lacertid assemblages. The aridity‐related component dominated over the phylogenetic one, which has a weak influence in both regions. The species showed different turnover patterns, being low in those present in cold alpine habitats and shrub‐steppe specialists. In some Iberian endemics, habitat turnover occurs within relatively homogeneous climatic bands. However, in the Italian species, habitat turnover has a comparatively stronger climatic component, suggesting lower climatic specialization. This study shows that species distributions across habitats provide information to assess community properties and can be applied to explore differences among faunal assemblages over large geographic areas. Our results provide evidence that beta diversity can play a key role in structuring patterns of habitat turnover.

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“…But nevertheless, even if there had still been some existing small marine barrier between Iberia and the Maghreb during the Messinian, this would not represent a severe obstacle for a snake dispersal among the two landmasses, as squamates have been repeatedly suggested to be capable of even long overseas rafting dispersals (e.g., Longrich et al, 2015;Nagy et al, 2003), including also Mediterranean taxa (e.g., Escoriza, 2021;Kyriazi et al, 2013). This is especially true when taken into consideration the close geographic proximity of the locality of Salobreña to the Gibraltar Strait.…”

Section: The Psammophiid Fossil Record and Palaeobiogeographymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, based on recent phylogenies, they are now generally recognized as part of the Elapoidea radiation (e.g., Burbrink et al, 2020;Figueroa et al, 2016;Kelly et al, 2008Kelly et al, , 2009McCartney et al, 2021;Pyron & Burbrink, 2012;Pyron et al, 2013;Vidal et al, 2008;Weinell & Brown, 2018;Zaher et al, 2009Zaher et al, , 2019Zheng & Wiens, 2016). Within elapoids, they are either treated as their own distinct family (Psammophiidae; e.g., Böhme & de Pury, 2011;Burbrink et al, 2020;Chen et al, 2021;Kelly et al, 2008Kelly et al, , 2009Speybroeck et al, 2020;Wallach et al, 2014;Zaher et al, 2009Zaher et al, , 2019 or either as a distinct subfamily within Lamprophiidae (Psammophiinae; e.g., Branch et al, 2019;Chippaux & Jackson, 2019;Figueroa et al, 2016;Keates et al, 2019;McCartney et al, 2014, 2021Pyron & Burbrink, 2012Pyron et al, 2013;Vidal et al, 2008;Weinell & Brown, 2018;Zheng & Wiens, 2016). Indeed, the distinctive cranial anatomy of psammophiid genera compared with other colubriforms has been already highlighted since several decades (Bogert, 1940;Boulenger, 1896;Bourgeois, 1967Bourgeois, , 1968Szunyoghy, 1932;…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First occurrence ofPsammophis(Serpentes) from Europe witnesses another Messinian herpetofaunal dispersal from Africa – biogeographic implications and a discussion of the vertebral morphology of psammophiid snakes

Georgalis

Szyndlar

2022

The Anatomical Record

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We here describe abundant new snake material from the late Miocene (MN 13) of Salobreña, Spain. Vertebral morphology suggests a referral of the specimens to the extant psammophiid Psammophis, documenting the first occurrence of this genus in Europe. The diversity and disparity across the vertebral morphology of different psammophiid genera are discussed. We identify vertebral features that could diagnose Psammophis and therefore enable the recognition of the genus in the fossil record. A comparison of the new Spanish form with other taxa is conducted. We provide a detailed review of the psammophiid fossil record. Material previously described from the middle Miocene of Beni Mellal, Morocco is here tentatively referred to as ?Psammophis sp., an action that renders that occurrence as the oldest (probable) record of the genus and Psammophiidae as a whole, providing thus a potential calibration point. On the other hand, Eastern European Pliocene material that had been previously supposedly referred to Psammophis is here discarded as being rather fragmentary, not affording any more precise determination. The two psammophiid genera Psammophis and Malpolon appear almost simultaneously in the European fossil record (MN 13), with the former achieving only a short‐lived and apparently geographically limited distribution in the continent, while the latter still exists in its modern herpetofauna. We assess biogeographic implications of the new find, suggesting a direct dispersal event from northwestern Africa to the Iberian Peninsula during the late Miocene, facilitated by the Messinian Salinity Crisis.

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Dispersal patterns of Squamata in the Mediterranean: An evolutionary perspective

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 4 publications

References 79 publications

Reconstructing the complex colonisation histories of lizards across Mediterranean archipelagos

Reconstructing the complex colonisation histories of lizards across Mediterranean archipelagos

Habitat turnover in Iberian and Italian lizards: Is it climatically, spatially, or phylogenetically determined?

First occurrence ofPsammophis(Serpentes) from Europe witnesses another Messinian herpetofaunal dispersal from Africa – biogeographic implications and a discussion of the vertebral morphology of psammophiid snakes

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