Rivers, not refugia, drove diversification in arboreal, sub-Saharan African snakes.

ABSTRACT: The relative roles of rivers versus refugia in shaping the high levels of species diversity in tropical rainforests have been widely debated for decades. Only recently has it become possible to take an integrative approach to test predictions derived from these hypotheses using genomic sequencing and paleo-species distribution modeling. Herein, we tested the predictions of the classic river, refuge, and river-refuge hypotheses on diversification in the arboreal sub-Saharan African snake genus Toxicodryas. We used dated phylogeographic inferences, population clustering analyses, demographic model selection, and paleo-distribution modeling to conduct a phylogenomic and historical demographic analysis of this genus. Our results revealed significant population genetic structure within b

SUBMITTER: Allen KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8207163 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature