Multiple evolutionary origins of Australian soil-burrowing cockroaches driven by climate change in the Neogene.

ABSTRACT: Parallel evolution is the independent appearance of similar derived phenotypes from similar ancestral forms. It is of key importance in the debate over whether evolution is stochastic and unpredictable, or subject to constraints that limit available phenotypic options. Nevertheless, its occurrence has rarely been demonstrated above the species level. Climate change on the Australian landmass over the last approximately 20 Myr has provided conditions conducive to parallel evolution, as taxa at the edges of shrinking mesic habitats adapted to drier biomes. Here, we investigate the phylogeny and evolution of Australian soil-burrowing and wood-feeding blaberid cockroaches. Soil burrowers (subfamily Geoscapheinae) are found in relatively dry sclerophyllous and scrubland habits, whereas wood fee

SUBMITTER: Lo N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4810833 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature