Desert springs: deep phylogeographic structure in an ancient endemic crustacean (Phreatomerus latipes).

ABSTRACT: Desert mound springs of the Great Artesian Basin in central Australia maintain an endemic fauna that have historically been considered ubiquitous throughout all of the springs. Recent studies, however, have shown that several endemic invertebrate species are genetically highly structured and contain previously unrecognised species, suggesting that individuals may be geographically 'stranded in desert islands'. Here we further tested the generality of this hypothesis by conducting genetic analyses of the obligate aquatic phreatoicid isopod Phreatomerus latipes. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships amongst P. latipes individuals were examined using a multilocus approach comprising allozymes and mtDNA sequence data. From the Lake Eyre region in South Australia we collected data for

SUBMITTER: Guzik MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3398905 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature