New insights on postglacial colonization in western Europe: the phylogeography of the Leisler's bat (Nyctalus leisleri).

ABSTRACT: Despite recent advances in the understanding of the interplay between a dynamic physical environment and phylogeography in Europe, the origins of contemporary Irish biota remain uncertain. Current thinking is that Ireland was colonized post-glacially from southern European refugia, following the end of the last glacial maximum (LGM), some 20 000 years BP. The Leisler's bat (Nyctalus leisleri), one of the few native Irish mammal species, is widely distributed throughout Europe but, with the exception of Ireland, is generally rare and considered vulnerable. We investigate the origins and phylogeographic relationships of Irish populations in relation to those across Europe, including the closely related species N. azoreum. We use a combination of approaches, including mitochondrial and nuclea

SUBMITTER: Boston ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4375860 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature