Cryptic vicariance in the historical assembly of a Baja California peninsular desert biota.
We use analyses of phylogeographic population structure across a suite of 12 mammalian, avian, amphibian, and reptilian species and species-groups to assess the role of Late Miocene to Pleistocene geological history in the evolution of a distinct Baja California Peninsular Desert biota. Comparative examination of phylogroup distributions provides support for previously hypothesized vicariant events produced by: a middle Pleistocene midpeninsular seaway, a late Pliocene northward transgression of the Sea of Cortéz, and a Pliocene seaway across the southern peninsular Isthmus of La Paz. Most of this phylogeographic architecture is cryptically embedded within widespread taxonomic species and species-groups, such that the unique evolutionary history of the Peninsular Desert has been obscured and ignored. The Peninsular Desert can no longer be considered a subset of the Sonoran Desert-it is a separate regional desert with its own unique evolutionary history, ecological arena, and conservation value.
Riddle
B R
BR
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4004, USA. riddle@ccmail.nevada.edu
Hafner
D J
DJ
Alexander
L F
LF
Jaeger
J R
JR
D000663:Amphibians / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001717:Birds / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D002140:California; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification; D003710:Demography; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005580:Fossils; D008800:Mexico; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012104:Reptiles / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial