Explosive Pleistocene diversification and hemispheric expansion of a "great speciator".

ABSTRACT: Factors that influence speciation rates among groups of organisms are integral to deciphering macroevolutionary processes; however, they remain poorly understood. Here, we use molecular phylogenetic data and divergence time estimates to reconstruct the pattern and tempo of speciation within a widespread and homogeneous bird family (white-eyes, Zosteropidae) that contains an archetypal "great speciator." Our analyses show that the majority of this species-rich family constitutes a clade that arose within the last 2 million years, yielding a per-lineage diversification rate among the highest reported for vertebrates (1.95-2.63 species per million years). However, unlike most rapid radiations reported to date, this burst of diversification was not limited in geographic scope, but instead span

SUBMITTER: Moyle RG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2644129 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature