Diversification of the African legless skinks in the subfamily Acontinae (Family Scincidae)
- Zhao, Zhongning, Conradie, Werner C, Pietersen, Darren W, Jordaan, Adriaan, Nicolau, Gary K, Edwards, Shelley, Riekert, Stephanus, Heideman, Neil
- Authors: Zhao, Zhongning , Conradie, Werner C , Pietersen, Darren W , Jordaan, Adriaan , Nicolau, Gary K , Edwards, Shelley , Riekert, Stephanus , Heideman, Neil
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/461495 , vital:76207 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107747"
- Description: Cladogenic diversification is often explained by referring to climatic oscillations and geomorphic shifts that cause allopatric speciation. In this regard, southern Africa retains a high level of landscape heterogeneity in vegetation, geology, and rainfall patterns. The legless skink subfamily Acontinae occurs broadly across the southern African subcontinent and therefore provides an ideal model group for investigating biogeographic patterns associated with the region. A robust phylogenetic study of the Acontinae with comprehensive coverage and adequate sampling of each taxon has been lacking up until now, resulting in unresolved questions regarding the subfamily’s biogeography and evolution. In this study, we used multi-locus genetic markers (three mitochondrial and two nuclear) with comprehensive taxon coverage (all currently recognized Acontinae species) and adequate sampling (multiple specimens for most taxa) of each taxon to infer a phylogeny for the subfamily.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
- Authors: Zhao, Zhongning , Conradie, Werner C , Pietersen, Darren W , Jordaan, Adriaan , Nicolau, Gary K , Edwards, Shelley , Riekert, Stephanus , Heideman, Neil
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/461495 , vital:76207 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107747"
- Description: Cladogenic diversification is often explained by referring to climatic oscillations and geomorphic shifts that cause allopatric speciation. In this regard, southern Africa retains a high level of landscape heterogeneity in vegetation, geology, and rainfall patterns. The legless skink subfamily Acontinae occurs broadly across the southern African subcontinent and therefore provides an ideal model group for investigating biogeographic patterns associated with the region. A robust phylogenetic study of the Acontinae with comprehensive coverage and adequate sampling of each taxon has been lacking up until now, resulting in unresolved questions regarding the subfamily’s biogeography and evolution. In this study, we used multi-locus genetic markers (three mitochondrial and two nuclear) with comprehensive taxon coverage (all currently recognized Acontinae species) and adequate sampling (multiple specimens for most taxa) of each taxon to infer a phylogeny for the subfamily.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
New insights into the geographical distribution, ecology and conservation status of South Africa’s endemic Coastal Leaf-toed Gecko, Cryptactites peringueyi (Boulenger, 1910)
- Nicolau, Gary K, Petford, Melissa, Edwards, Shelley, Busschau, Theo, Lynch, Kier, Kemp, Luke, Balmer, Jonathan P, Keates, Chad, Hundermark, Courtney R, Weeber, Joshua, Conradie, Werner C
- Authors: Nicolau, Gary K , Petford, Melissa , Edwards, Shelley , Busschau, Theo , Lynch, Kier , Kemp, Luke , Balmer, Jonathan P , Keates, Chad , Hundermark, Courtney R , Weeber, Joshua , Conradie, Werner C
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/461517 , vital:76209 , xlink:href="https://www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/view/63908"
- Description: Range-restricted species are generally poorly known and at higher risk of extinction than species with wider distributions. In the past, the Coastal Leaf-toed Gecko, Cryptactites peringueyi (Boulenger, 1910) caused much confusion and was once referred to as “one of the herpetological mysteries of the region”. Knowledge on the species has grown substantially, predominately due to new insights into its ecological preferences. Surveys from 2018 through early 2020 re-established the presence of C. peringueyi at three of four historical localities, as well as documenting four new localities. In 2018, preliminary data from these surveys resulted in an IUCN Red List downgrading from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. However, with further investigation into the distribution of the species, the results from the present study more than doubled the previously estimated Extent of Occurrence from 785 km2 to 1504 km2 and the populations appear to be stable, despite environmental and anthropogenic disturbance. By incorporating environmental niche modelling, we further discuss the distribution, habits and ecology of C. peringueyi. The results presented here highlight the importance of fully understanding a species’ ecology to address its conservation status and we suggest that a new listing of Least Concern is appropriate for C. peringueyi.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Nicolau, Gary K , Petford, Melissa , Edwards, Shelley , Busschau, Theo , Lynch, Kier , Kemp, Luke , Balmer, Jonathan P , Keates, Chad , Hundermark, Courtney R , Weeber, Joshua , Conradie, Werner C
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/461517 , vital:76209 , xlink:href="https://www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/view/63908"
- Description: Range-restricted species are generally poorly known and at higher risk of extinction than species with wider distributions. In the past, the Coastal Leaf-toed Gecko, Cryptactites peringueyi (Boulenger, 1910) caused much confusion and was once referred to as “one of the herpetological mysteries of the region”. Knowledge on the species has grown substantially, predominately due to new insights into its ecological preferences. Surveys from 2018 through early 2020 re-established the presence of C. peringueyi at three of four historical localities, as well as documenting four new localities. In 2018, preliminary data from these surveys resulted in an IUCN Red List downgrading from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. However, with further investigation into the distribution of the species, the results from the present study more than doubled the previously estimated Extent of Occurrence from 785 km2 to 1504 km2 and the populations appear to be stable, despite environmental and anthropogenic disturbance. By incorporating environmental niche modelling, we further discuss the distribution, habits and ecology of C. peringueyi. The results presented here highlight the importance of fully understanding a species’ ecology to address its conservation status and we suggest that a new listing of Least Concern is appropriate for C. peringueyi.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
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