Exploring the effect of asymmetric mitochondrial DNA introgression on estimating niche divergence in morphologically cryptic species.

ABSTRACT: If potential morphologically cryptic species, identified based on differentiated mitochondrial DNA, express ecological divergence, this increases support for their treatment as distinct species. However, mitochondrial DNA introgression hampers the correct estimation of ecological divergence. We test the hypothesis that estimated niche divergence differs when considering nuclear DNA composition or mitochondrial DNA type as representing the true species range. We use empirical data of two crested newt species (Amphibia: Triturus) which possess introgressed mitochondrial DNA from a third species in part of their ranges. We analyze the data in environmental space by determining Fisher distances in a principal component analysis and in geographical space by determining geographical overlap of s

SUBMITTER: Wielstra B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3990694 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature