Cryptic biodiversity and phylogeographic patterns of Seychellois Ligia isopods.

ABSTRACT: Ligia isopods are conspicuous inhabitants of rocky intertidal habitats exhibiting several biological traits that severely limit their dispersal potential. Their presence in patchy habitats and low vagility may lead to long term isolation, allopatric isolation and possible cryptic speciation. Indeed, various species of Ligia have been suggested to represent instead cryptic species complexes. Past studies; however, have largely focused in Eastern Pacific and Atlantic species of Ligia, leaving in doubt whether cryptic diversity occurs in other highly biodiverse areas. The Seychelles consists of 115 islands of different ages and geological origins spread across the western Indian Ocean. They are well known for their rich biodiversity with recent reports of cryptic species

SUBMITTER: Santamaria CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5633021 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature