Phylogeography of a morphologically cryptic golden mole assemblage from South-Eastern Africa

dc.contributor.authorMynhardt, Samantha
dc.contributor.authorMaree, Sarita
dc.contributor.authorPelser, Illona
dc.contributor.authorBennett, Nigel Charles
dc.contributor.authorBronner, Gary N.
dc.contributor.authorWilson, John W.
dc.contributor.authorBloomer, Paulette
dc.contributor.emailpaulette.bloomer@up.ac.zaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-02-24T13:07:46Z
dc.date.available2016-02-24T13:07:46Z
dc.date.issued2015-12-18
dc.descriptionS1 Fig. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian gene trees.en_ZA
dc.descriptionS2 Fig. Divergence dating tree with outgroups included.en_ZA
dc.descriptionS3 Fig. Population-level coalescent analyses.en_ZA
dc.descriptionS1 Table. Sample information for all Amblysomus samples used in this study.en_ZA
dc.descriptionS2 Table. Estimates of evolutionary divergence over sequence pairs between clades.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe Greater Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany (GMPA) region of southern Africa was recently designated as a centre of vertebrate endemism. The phylogeography of the vertebrate taxa occupying this region may provide insights into the evolution of faunal endemism in southeastern Africa. Here we investigate the phylogeographic patterns of an understudied small mammal species assemblage (Amblysomus) endemic to the GMPA, to test for cryptic diversity within the genus, and to better understand diversification across the region.We sampled specimens from 50 sites across the distributional range of Amblysomus, with emphasis on the widespread A. hottentotus, to analyse geographic patterns of genetic diversity using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear intron data. Molecular dating was used to elucidate the evolutionary and phylogeographic history of Amblysomus. Our phylogenetic reconstructions show that A. hottentotus comprises several distinct lineages, or evolutionarily significant units (ESUs), some with restricted geographic ranges and thus worthy of conservation attention. Divergence of the major lineages dated to the early Pliocene, with later radiations in the GMPA during the late-Pliocene to early-Pleistocene. Evolutionary diversification within Amblysomus may have been driven by uplift of the Great Escarpment c. 5–3 million years ago (Ma), habitat changes associated with intensification of the east-west rainfall gradient across South Africa and the influence of subsequent global climatic cycles. These drivers possibly facilitated geographic spread of ancestral lineages, local adaptation and vicariant isolation. Our study adds to growing empirical evidence identifying East and southern Africa as cradles of vertebrate diversity.en_ZA
dc.description.librarianam2015en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe National Research Foundation unique grant number 46995 to PB for running expenses and bursary support; Department of Science and Technology via the National Research Foundation funds the South African Research Chairs Initiative Chair for Mammal Behavioural Ecology and Physiology held by NCB (running costs and PhD scholarship to S. Mynhardt, postdoctoral scholarship to S. Maree); www.nrf.ac.za.en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.plosone.orgen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMynhardt S, Maree S, Pelser I, Bennett NC, Bronner GN, Wilson JW, et al. (2015) Phylogeography of a Morphologically Cryptic Golden Mole Assemblage from South-Eastern Africa. PLoS ONE 10(12): e0144995. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144995en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203
dc.identifier.other10.1371/journal.pone.0144995
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/51520
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherPublic Library of Scienceen_ZA
dc.rights© 2015 Mynhardt et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.en_ZA
dc.subjectVertebrate endemismen_ZA
dc.subjectVertebrate taxaen_ZA
dc.subjectPhylogeographic patternsen_ZA
dc.subjectGreater Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany (GMPA) regionen_ZA
dc.subjectMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)en_ZA
dc.subjectNuclear intron dataen_ZA
dc.subjectEvolutionarily significant units (ESUs)en_ZA
dc.titlePhylogeography of a morphologically cryptic golden mole assemblage from South-Eastern Africaen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

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