Mitogenome analyses elucidate the evolutionary relationships of a probable Eocene wet tropics relic in the xerophile lizard genus Acanthodactylus.

ABSTRACT: Climate has a large impact on diversity and evolution of the world's biota. The Eocene-Oligocene transition from tropical climate to cooler, drier environments was accompanied by global species turnover. A large number of Old World lacertid lizard lineages have diversified after the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. One of the most speciose reptile genera in the arid Palearctic, Acanthodactylus, contains two sub-Saharan species with unresolved phylogenetic relationship and unknown climatic preferences. We here aim to understand how and when adaptation to arid conditions occurred in Acanthodactylus and when tropical habitats where entered. Using whole mitogenomes from fresh and archival DNA and published sequences we recovered a well-supported Acanthodactylus phylogeny and underpinned the timing o

SUBMITTER: Kirchhof S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7921649 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature