Integrating phylogeography and high-resolution X-ray CT reveals five new cryptic species and multiple hybrid zones among Australian earless dragons
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Integrating phylogeography and high-resolution X-ray CT reveals five new cryptic species and multiple hybrid zones among Australian earless dragons. / Melville, Jane; Chaplin, Kirilee; Hipsley, Christy A.; Sarre, Stephen D.; Sumner, Joanna; Hutchinson, Mark.
In: Royal Society Open Science, Vol. 6, No. 12, 191166, 2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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T1 - Integrating phylogeography and high-resolution X-ray CT reveals five new cryptic species and multiple hybrid zones among Australian earless dragons
AU - Melville, Jane
AU - Chaplin, Kirilee
AU - Hipsley, Christy A.
AU - Sarre, Stephen D.
AU - Sumner, Joanna
AU - Hutchinson, Mark
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Cryptic lineages, comprising species complexes with deep genetic structuring across the landscape but without distinct morphological differences, impose substantial difficulties for systematists and taxonomists in determining true species diversity. Here, we present an integrative approach that combines data from phylogeography and geometric morphometric analyses of three-dimensional cranial models to revisit the uncertain taxonomy of earless dragons from southern and central Australia that at one time or another have been included under the name Tympanocryptis lineata. Our approach finds strong support for seven previously described species, and more importantly, five undescribed Tympanocryptis taxa for which we provide a taxonomic treatment. We also find evidence of introgression and hybridization in three discrete contact zones between lineages, supported by mitochondrial and nuclear genes, as well as morphological analyses. With a sampling design that includes at least five individuals for each genetic lineage with corresponding X-ray microcomputed tomography scans, we perform comparative evolutionary analyses to show that there is a significant phylogenetic signal in Tympanocryptis cranial shape. Our results demonstrate the importance of using multiple specimens in each genetic lineage, particularly in cases of potential hybridization, and that geometric morphometrics, when used in an integrative framework, is a powerful tool in species delimitation across cryptic lineages. Our results lay the groundwork for future evolutionary studies in this widespread group across multiple environmental types and identify several species of immediate conservation concern with a focus on T. petersi sp. nov. We suggest that this species has undergone significant population declines and warrants a full conservation assessment.
AB - Cryptic lineages, comprising species complexes with deep genetic structuring across the landscape but without distinct morphological differences, impose substantial difficulties for systematists and taxonomists in determining true species diversity. Here, we present an integrative approach that combines data from phylogeography and geometric morphometric analyses of three-dimensional cranial models to revisit the uncertain taxonomy of earless dragons from southern and central Australia that at one time or another have been included under the name Tympanocryptis lineata. Our approach finds strong support for seven previously described species, and more importantly, five undescribed Tympanocryptis taxa for which we provide a taxonomic treatment. We also find evidence of introgression and hybridization in three discrete contact zones between lineages, supported by mitochondrial and nuclear genes, as well as morphological analyses. With a sampling design that includes at least five individuals for each genetic lineage with corresponding X-ray microcomputed tomography scans, we perform comparative evolutionary analyses to show that there is a significant phylogenetic signal in Tympanocryptis cranial shape. Our results demonstrate the importance of using multiple specimens in each genetic lineage, particularly in cases of potential hybridization, and that geometric morphometrics, when used in an integrative framework, is a powerful tool in species delimitation across cryptic lineages. Our results lay the groundwork for future evolutionary studies in this widespread group across multiple environmental types and identify several species of immediate conservation concern with a focus on T. petersi sp. nov. We suggest that this species has undergone significant population declines and warrants a full conservation assessment.
KW - Conservation management
KW - CT scanning
KW - Geometric morphometrics
KW - Integrative taxonomy
KW - Species delimitation
KW - Tympanocryptis
U2 - 10.1098/rsos.191166
DO - 10.1098/rsos.191166
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85077400189
VL - 6
JO - Royal Society Open Science
JF - Royal Society Open Science
SN - 2054-5703
IS - 12
M1 - 191166
ER -
ID: 255687671