1
|
Gallozzi F, Corti C, Castiglia R, Avramo V, Senczuk G, Mattioni C, Colangelo P. The Intriguing Biogeographic Pattern of the Italian Wall Lizard Podarcis siculus (Squamata: Lacertidae) in the Tuscan Archipelago Reveals the Existence of a New Ancient Insular Clade. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030386. [PMID: 36766275 PMCID: PMC9913114 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The Tuscan Archipelago is one of the most ancient and ecologically heterogeneous island systems in the Mediterranean. The biodiversity of these islands was strongly shaped by the Pliocene and Pleistocene sea regressions and transgression, resulting in different waves of colonization and isolation of species coming from the mainland. The Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus, is present on the following islands of the Tuscan Archipelago: Elba, Giglio, Giannutri, Capraia, Montecristo and Cerboli. The species in the area displays a relatively high morphological variability that in the past led to the description of several subspecies. In this study, both the genetic and morphological diversity of P. siculus of the Tuscan Archipelago were investigated. Specifically, the meristic characters and the dorsal pattern were analyzed, while the genetic relationships among these populations were explored with mtDNA and microsatellite nuclear markers to reconstruct the colonization history of the Archipelago. Our results converge in the identification of at least two different waves of colonization in the Archipelago: Elba, and the populations of Cerboli and Montecristo probably originate from historical introductions from mainland Tuscany, while those of Giglio and Capraia are surviving populations of an ancient lineage which colonized the Tuscan Archipelago during the Pliocene and which shares a common ancestry with the P. siculus populations of south-eastern Italy. Giannutri perhaps represents an interesting case of hybridization between the populations from mainland Tuscany and the Giglio-Capraia clade. Based on the high phenotypic and molecular distinctiveness of this ancient clade, these populations should be treated as distinct units deserving conservation and management efforts as well as further investigation to assess their taxonomic status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Gallozzi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Borelli 50, 00188 Rome, Italy
- National Research Council, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Claudia Corti
- Museum of Natural History ‘La Specola’, Via Romana 17, 50125 Florence, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Riccardo Castiglia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Borelli 50, 00188 Rome, Italy
| | - Vasco Avramo
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta, 9, Ozzano Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriele Senczuk
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Claudia Mattioni
- National Research Council, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Rome, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Paolo Colangelo
- National Research Council, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015 Rome, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Multi-locus phylogeny and species delimitations of the striped-back shrew group (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae): Implications for cryptic diversity, taxonomy and multiple speciation patterns. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2022; 177:107619. [PMID: 36007821 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The striped-back shrew group demonstrates remarkable variation in skull and body size, tail length, and brightness of the dorsal stripe; and karyotypic and DNA variation has been reported in recent years. In this study, we investigated the phylogenetic structure of the group, as well as speciation patterns and demographic history in Mountains of Southwestern China and adjacent mountains, including the southern Himalayas, Mts. Bashan, Wushan, and Qinling. We sequenced a total of 462 specimens from 126 localities in the known range of the group, which were sequenced and analyzed based on 6.2 kb of sequence data from two mitochondrial, six nuclear, and two Y chromosome markers. Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated mtDNA data revealed 14 sympatric and independently evolving lineages within the striped-back shrew group, including Sorex bedfordiae, S. cylindricauda, S. excelsus, S. sinalis and several cryptic species. All concatenated data (ten genes) showed a consistent genetic structure compared to the mtDNA lineages for the group, whereas the nuclear and the Y chromosome data showed a discordant genetic structure compared to the mtDNA lineages for the striped-back shrew group. Species delimitation analyses and deep genetic distance clearly support the species status of the 14 evolving lineages. The divergence time estimation suggested that the striped-back shrew group began to diversify from the middle Pleistocene (2.34 Ma), then flourished at approximately 2.14 Ma, followed by a series of rapid diversifications through the Pleistocene. Our results also revealed multiple mechanisms of speciation in the Mountains of Southwestern China and Adjacent Mountains with complex landscapes and climate. The uplifting of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Quaternary climate oscillations, riverine barriers, ecological elevation gradients, topographical diversity, and their own low dispersal capacity may have driven the speciation, genetic structure, and phylogeographic patterns of the striped-back shrew group.
Collapse
|
3
|
Evaluating the island effect on phenotypic evolution in the Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus (Reptilia: Lacertidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Islands are compelling natural laboratories for studying evolutionary processes. Nevertheless, the existence of general rules underlying morphological evolution on islands remains an unresolved issue. In this study, we investigated the insular phenotypic variability of the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) on a large geographical scale, in order to assess the putative existence of an island effect on three morphological head traits: shape, size and degree of sexual dimorphism. A geometric morphometric analysis was performed on 30 island and 24 mainland populations, involving a total of 992 specimens, and we analysed differences in both mean trait values and variances (disparity). We found increased shape disparity in insular lizards with respect to mainland ones. On the other hand, both size disparity and mean head dimensions of males decreased on islands, leading to a reduction in sexual dimorphism. Our results provide evidence for a multidirectional morphological diversification on islands concerning head shape of both sexes, while directional and canalizing selection likely occurred for head size, but only in males. Our findings improve our knowledge on the effect of insularity in Podarcis siculus, and highlight the need for an exstensive sampling scheme and a multi-trait methodological approach.
Collapse
|
4
|
Ceríaco LMP, Bernstein J, Sousa AC, Marques MP, Bauer AM, Norder SJ. The reptiles of Tinhosa Grande islet (Gulf of Guinea): A taxonomic update and the role of Quaternary sea level fluctuations in their diversification. AFR J HERPETOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2020.1832151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luis MP Ceríaco
- Museu de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Zoologia e Antropologia (Museu Bocage), Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Justin Bernstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, USA
| | - Ana C Sousa
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portuga
| | - Mariana P Marques
- Departamento de Zoologia e Antropologia (Museu Bocage), Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sietze J Norder
- Leiden University Centre for Linguistics, Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Viacava P, Blomberg SP, Sansalone G, Phillips MJ, Guillerme T, Cameron SF, Wilson RS, Weisbecker V. Skull shape of a widely distributed, endangered marsupial reveals little evidence of local adaptation between fragmented populations. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:9707-9720. [PMID: 33005341 PMCID: PMC7520215 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The biogeographic distribution of diversity among populations of threatened mammalian species is generally investigated using population genetics. However, intraspecific phenotypic diversity is rarely assessed beyond taxonomy-focused linear measurements or qualitative descriptions. Here, we use a technique widely used in the evolutionary sciences-geometric morphometrics-to characterize shape diversity in the skull of an endangered marsupial, the northern quoll, across its 5,000 km distribution range along Northern Australia. Skull shape is a proxy for feeding, behavior, and phenotypic differentiation, allowing us to ask whether populations can be distinguished and whether patterns of variation indicate adaptability to changing environmental conditions. We analyzed skull shape in 101 individuals across four mainland populations and several islands. We assessed the contribution of population, size, sex, rainfall, temperature, and geography to skull shape variation using principal component analysis, Procrustes ANOVA, and variation partitioning analyses. The populations harbor similar amounts of broadly overlapping skull shape variation, with relatively low geographic effects. Size predicted skull shape best, coinciding with braincase size variation and differences in zygomatic arches. Size-adjusted differences in populations explained less variation with far smaller effect sizes, relating to changes in the insertion areas of masticatory muscles, as well as the upper muzzle and incisor region. Climatic and geographic variables contributed little. Strikingly, the vast majority of shape variation-76%-remained unexplained. Our results suggest a uniform intraspecific scope for shape variation, possibly due to allometric constraints or phenotypic plasticity beyond the relatively strong allometric effect. The lack of local adaptation indicates that cross-breeding between populations will not reduce local morphological skull (and probably general musculoskeletal) adaptation because none exists. However, the potential for heritable morphological variation (e.g., specialization to local diets) seems exceedingly limited. We conclude that 3D geometric morphometrics can provide a comprehensive, statistically rigorous phenomic contribution to genetic-based conservation studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Viacava
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Simone P Blomberg
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Gabriele Sansalone
- Form, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory, Zoology School of Environmental and Rural Sciences University of New England Armidale NSW Australia
| | - Matthew J Phillips
- Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences School Queensland University of Technology Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Thomas Guillerme
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Skye F Cameron
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Robbie S Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- College of Science and Engineering Flinders University Adelaide SA Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Senczuk G, Castiglia R, Colangelo P, Delaugerre M, Corti C. The role of island physiography in maintaining genetic diversity in the endemic Tyrrhenian wall lizard (
Podarcis tiliguerta
). J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Senczuk
- Sezione di Zoologia “La Specola” Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università di Firenze Firenze Italia
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin” Università di Roma “La Sapienza” Rome Italia
| | - R. Castiglia
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin” Università di Roma “La Sapienza” Rome Italia
| | - P. Colangelo
- Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri (CNR‐IRET) Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Rome Italia
| | | | - C. Corti
- Sezione di Zoologia “La Specola” Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università di Firenze Firenze Italia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Spotlight on islands: on the origin and diversification of an ancient lineage of the Italian wall lizard Podarcis siculus in the western Pontine Islands. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15111. [PMID: 30310095 PMCID: PMC6181948 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33326-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Groups of proximate continental islands may conceal more tangled phylogeographic patterns than oceanic archipelagos as a consequence of repeated sea level changes, which allow populations to experience gene flow during periods of low sea level stands and isolation by vicariant mechanisms during periods of high sea level stands. Here, we describe for the first time an ancient and diverging lineage of the Italian wall lizard Podarcis siculus from the western Pontine Islands. We used nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences of 156 individuals with the aim of unraveling their phylogenetic position, while microsatellite loci were used to test several a priori insular biogeographic models of migration with empirical data. Our results suggest that the western Pontine populations colonized the islands early during their Pliocene volcanic formation, while populations from the eastern Pontine Islands seem to have been introduced recently. The inter-island genetic makeup indicates an important role of historical migration, probably due to glacial land bridges connecting islands followed by a recent vicariant mechanism of isolation. Moreover, the most supported migration model predicted higher gene flow among islands which are geographically arranged in parallel. Considering the threatened status of small insular endemic populations, we suggest this new evolutionarily independent unit be given priority in conservation efforts.
Collapse
|