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Dispersal patterns of Squamata in the Mediterranean: An evolutionary perspective
1GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology University of Girona Girona Spain.
Ecology and Evolution
|November 12, 2021
Summary
Small lizards, not specific lineages, are better at colonizing Mediterranean islands. This study modeled sea routes to understand reptile dispersal, finding size, not evolutionary history, influences island colonization success.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Biogeography
Background:
- Mediterranean islands host diverse squamate reptile species, but their distribution is uneven.
- This variability may stem from differing colonization abilities of species.
- Understanding dispersal is key to explaining reptile distribution patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sea dispersal capacities of Mediterranean squamate species.
- To model sea routes using cost surface models.
- To investigate the influence of life-history traits and phylogenetic signal on dispersal paths.
Main Methods:
- Modeled sea routes for squamate species using cost surface models.
- Estimated effects of life-history traits on dispersal path characteristics.
- Assessed phylogenetic signal in dispersal path attributes like distance and sea depth.
Main Results:
- No significant phylogenetic signal was detected in dispersal path characteristics.
- No specific evolutionary lineages of Mediterranean Squamata were identified as superior island colonizers.
- Small-sized lizards demonstrated superior long-distance sea dispersal capabilities compared to other squamates.
Conclusions:
- Dispersal ability in Mediterranean squamates is not linked to shared traits among related species.
- Island colonization success is not driven by superior colonizer lineages.
- Body size, specifically smaller size in lizards, is a critical factor for successful long-distance sea dispersal.
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