Phylogenetic relationships within the lizard clade Xantusiidae: Using trees and divergence times to address evolutionary questions at multiple levels

Noonan, Brice P.; Pramuk, Jennifer B.; Bezy, Robert L.; Sinclair, Elizabeth A.; Queiroz, Kevin de; Sites, Jack W.

doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.05.017

Cited by 29 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 88 publications

(110 reference statements)

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“…At that time, San Clemente Island may have been connected to Baja California, far to the south of its current position [23, 24]. After the Miocene, the subduction zone moved away from southern California, and the counterclockwise rotation of the Pacific Plate led to the formation of a field of roughly parallel faults with northwestward movement, one of which continues to push San Clemente island north, west, and upward [21, 25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Xantusia is a genus of secretive lizards that occurs in the western US and Mexico [23]. Xantusia riversiana is the largest member of the genus at 80–110 mm snout-vent length and is a classic example of island gigantism [28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…riversiana on San Clemente Island were found at their original capture locations, while the others dispersed an average of 3 m [28]. As young Xantusia rarely disperse far from their natal site (an average of 4.2 meters in Xantusia vigili s; [29]), their population genetic distribution reflects demographic events both ancient and modern [23]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Xantusia riversiana may be the sister species to all other members of the genus, from which it diverged approximately 14 to 16 MYA ([23]; but see [30] and [31] for alternative tree topologies and divergence time estimates). At that time, the flora of Baja California was primarily tropical deciduous forest, with evergreen broadleaf forest present in riparian areas [32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At that time, the flora of Baja California was primarily tropical deciduous forest, with evergreen broadleaf forest present in riparian areas [32]. Fossil tree species from areas in Baja California near the putative attachment point of Miocene San Clemente Island most closely resemble extant tropical dry forests on the west coast of Mexico, which is within the current range of Lepidophyma , the sister genus to Xantusia [23]. If this phylogenetic hypothesis is correct, the ancestral Xantusia had split from Lepidophyma and occurred in Baja California 20 million years ago.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Historical Environment Is Reflected in Modern Population Genetics and Biogeography of an Island Endemic Lizard (Xantusia riversiana reticulata)

2016

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The restricted distribution and isolation of island endemics often produces unique genetic and phenotypic diversity of conservation interest to management agencies. However, these isolated species, especially those with sensitive life history traits, are at high risk for the adverse effects of genetic drift and habitat degradation by non-native wildlife. Here, we study the population genetic diversity, structure, and stability of a classic “island giant” (Xantusia riversiana, the Island Night Lizard) on San Clemente Island, California following the removal of feral goats. Using DNA microsatellites, we found that this population is reasonably genetically robust despite historical grazing, with similar effective population sizes and genetic diversity metrics across all sampling locations irrespective of habitat type and degree of degradation. However, we also found strong site-specific patterns of genetic variation and low genetic diversity compared to mainland congeners, warranting continued special management as an island endemic. We identify both high and low elevation areas that remain valuable repositories of genetic diversity and provide a case study for other low-dispersal coastal organisms in the face of future climate change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Historical Environment Is Reflected in Modern Population Genetics and Biogeography of an Island Endemic Lizard (Xantusia riversiana reticulata)

2016

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Genomic timetree and historical biogeography of Caribbean island ameiva lizards (Pholidoscelis: Teiidae)

Tucker

Colli

Pyron

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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The phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history of Caribbean island ameivas (Pholidoscelis) are not well‐known because of incomplete sampling, conflicting datasets, and poor support for many clades. Here, we use phylogenomic and mitochondrial DNA datasets to reconstruct a well‐supported phylogeny and assess historical colonization patterns in the group. We obtained sequence data from 316 nuclear loci and one mitochondrial marker for 16 of 19 extant species of the Caribbean endemic genus Pholidoscelis. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using both concatenation and species tree approaches. To estimate divergence times, we used fossil teiids to calibrate a timetree which was used to elucidate the historical biogeography of these lizards. All phylogenetic analyses recovered four well‐supported species groups (clades) recognized previously and supported novel relationships of those groups, including a (P. auberi + P. lineolatus) clade (western + central Caribbean), and a (P. exsul + P. plei) clade (eastern Caribbean). Divergence between Pholidoscelis and its sister clade was estimated to have occurred ~25 Ma, with subsequent diversification on Caribbean islands occurring over the last 11 Myr. Of the six models compared in the biogeographic analyses, the scenario which considered the distance among islands and allowed dispersal in all directions best fit the data. These reconstructions suggest that the ancestor of this group colonized either Hispaniola or Puerto Rico from Middle America. We provide a well‐supported phylogeny of Pholidoscelis with novel relationships not reported in previous studies that were based on significantly smaller datasets. We propose that Pholidoscelis colonized the eastern Greater Antilles from Middle America based on our biogeographic analysis, phylogeny, and divergence time estimates. The closing of the Central American Seaway and subsequent formation of the modern Atlantic meridional overturning circulation may have promoted dispersal in this group.

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Thermoregulatory strategies of three reclusive lizards (genus Xantusia) from the Baja California peninsula, Mexico, under current and future microenvironmental temperatures

et al. 2021

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The thermal quality of the habitat is key for the regulation of body temperature in terrestrial ectotherms and, therefore, permits them to carry out their fundamental biological activities. In thermally heterogeneous environments, ectotherms might follow different behavioral or physiological strategies to maintain their body temperature within biologically adequate boundaries, for which they depend on microhabitat selection. These aspects are, thus, relevant in the context of habitat degradation and land-use change. In this study, we characterized the thermal ecology of three lizard species (genus Xantusia) that differ in microhabitat use along the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. We made three predictions: (1) the three species will follow different thermoregulatory strategies according to habitat thermal quality; (2) the thermal requirements and tolerances of these species will match the environmental or microenvironmental thermal conditions; and (3) due to their habitat and range restriction, the species studied will be highly vulnerable to climate change. Our results indicate the existence of thermoregulatory mechanisms in Xantusia to face thermal heterogeneity, including behavioral thermoregulation by choosing different microhabitats, shifts in activity periods, and adaptation to particular high thermal quality microhabitats. Furthermore, despite their association to specific microhabitats and specialized physiology, the studied species will not be adversely affected by climate change, as the increased microenvironmental temperatures will lead to a higher habitat thermal quality and lower costs of thermoregulation. However, we do not discard other indirect adverse effects of climate change not considered in this study.

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Phylogenetic relationships within the lizard clade Xantusiidae: Using trees and divergence times to address evolutionary questions at multiple levels

Cited by 29 publications

References 88 publications

Historical Environment Is Reflected in Modern Population Genetics and Biogeography of an Island Endemic Lizard (Xantusia riversiana reticulata)

Historical Environment Is Reflected in Modern Population Genetics and Biogeography of an Island Endemic Lizard (Xantusia riversiana reticulata)

Genomic timetree and historical biogeography of Caribbean island ameiva lizards (Pholidoscelis: Teiidae)

Thermoregulatory strategies of three reclusive lizards (genus Xantusia) from the Baja California peninsula, Mexico, under current and future microenvironmental temperatures

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