Unraveling evolutionary lineages in the limbless fossorial skink genus Acontias (Sauria: Scincidae): are subspecies equivalent systematic units?

Daniels, Savel R.; Heideman, Neil; Hendricks, Martin G. J.; Mokone, Mphalile E.; Crandall, Keith A.

doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.011

Cited by 22 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 30 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Seventy new specimens were collected, and combined with samples from an earlier study (Daniels et al . 2005).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2006). The polytypic A. m. meleagris species complex appears to be a reservoir of poorly defined evolutionary units that require closer scrutiny to discriminate operational taxonomic units, since the existing taxonomic designations within the species complex are irreconcilable with the molecular data (Daniels et al . 2002, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2002, 2005). However, conclusions inferred from these two previous mtDNA studies are limited due to the inadequate geographical coverage, the small sample sizes and the absence of nuclear DNA markers (Daniels et al . 2002, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The incorporation of nuclear markers is critical since there appears to be anecdotal morphological evidence of hybridization, introgression or secondary contact between taxa (Broadley & Greer 1969). Hence, no nomenclatural changes were suggested for the species complex (Daniels et al . 2002, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2002, 2005). Multilocus data derived from independent data sets have become critical in identifying genealogical relationships and in order to underpin operational taxonomic units since the exclusive reliance on a single marker (such as the maternally inherited mtDNA) may lead to erroneous systematic inferences (Daniels et al . 2002, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Examination of evolutionary relationships in the Cape fossorial skink species complex (Acontinae: Acontias meleagris meleagris) reveals the presence of five cryptic lineages

Daniels¹,

Heideman²,

Hendricks³

2009

Zoologica Scripta

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Examination of evolutionary relationships in the Cape fossorial skink species complex (Acontinae: Acontias meleagris meleagris) reveals the presence of five cryptic lineages. -Zoologica Scripta, 38, 449-463. Variable morphological characters have obscured genealogical relationships in the Cape fossorial skink Acontias meleagris meleagris species complex. Currently the species complex contains four dubious operational taxonomic units (A. meleagris meleagris, A. m. orientalis, A. percivali tasmani and the morph lineicauda) with poorly defined species boundaries. In the present study we examine the evolutionary relationships within the species complex by sampling 24 skink populations from the known geographical distribution in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, representing a total of 119 specimens. We used partial sequence data derived from two mitochondrial DNA genes, 16S rRNA and COI, and one nuclear DNA gene, intron b-fibrinogen (b-fibint 7), to examine evolutionary relationships. Phylogenetic relationships were determined using both Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Bayesian inference (BI) from the combined mtDNA, nDNA and the total evidence data. Additionally we employed Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses on the total evidence data that comprised 1.5 kb. Topologies derived from the combined mtDNA analyses were congruent with the total evidence analyses (mtDNA + nDNA) and retrieved five major clades with strong statistical support inferred from bootstrapping and posterior probabilities. The five clades were genealogically and geographically exclusive, diagnostic at both the mtDNA and nDNA level and characterized by pronounced sequence divergence, with no shared haplotypes between clades. Collectively these results suggest the presence of five putative cryptic operational taxonomic units within the A. meleagris meleagris species complex. Constraining the traditionally recognized taxa always retrieved a statistically worse topology suggesting that considerable taxonomic revision is required. Our results indicate that traditional morphological characters need to be reassessed to define the five novel lineages in the A. meleagris meleagris species complex. The phylogeographic pattern for the fossorial skinks we retrieved was novel compared to phylogeographic studies for codistributed above ground living taxa. These results suggest that the abiotic and biotic factors that impact subterranean taxa may differ from supraterranean taxa.

show abstract

“…Seventy new specimens were collected, and combined with samples from an earlier study (Daniels et al . 2005).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%