Seasonal migration patterns and the maintenance of evolutionary diversity in a cryptic bird radiation.

ABSTRACT: Morphological differentiation associated with evolutionary diversification is often explained with adaptive benefits but the processes and mechanisms maintaining cryptic diversity are still poorly understood. Using genome-wide data, we show here that the pale sand martin Riparia diluta in Central and East Asia consists of three genetically deeply differentiated lineages which vary only gradually in morphology but broadly reflect traditional taxonomy. We detected no signs of gene flow along the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau between lowland south-eastern Chinese R. d. fohkienensis and high-altitude R. d. tibetana. Largely different breeding and migration timing between these low and high altitude populations as indicated by phenology data suggests that allochrony might act as p

SUBMITTER: Tang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9298432 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature