Out-of-the tropics or trans-tropical dispersal? The origins of the disjunct distribution of the gooseneck barnacle Pollicipes elegans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studying species with disjunct distributions allows biogeographers to evaluate factors controlling species ranges, limits on gene flow, and allopatric speciation. Here, we use phylogeographic and population genetic studies of the barnacle Pollicipes elegans to discriminate between two primary hypotheses about the origin of disjunct distributions of extra-tropical populations: trans-tropical stepping-stone colonization versus an out-of-the tropics origin.

Results

Nucleotide diversity peaked in the centre of the species' range in samples from El Salvador and was lower in samples from higher latitudes at Mexico and Peru. Haplotypes from El Salvador samples also had a deeper coalescent, or an older time to a most recent common ancestor. A deep phylogeographical break

SUBMITTER: Marchant S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4696079 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature