Geographic variation in the age of temperate-zone reptile and amphibian species: Southern Hemisphere species are older.
Despite controversy over alternative definitions, the species is the fundamental operational unit of biodiversity, and species are the building-blocks of conservation. But is a 'species' from one part of the world the same as a 'species' from elsewhere? Our meta-analysis of molecular phylogenetic data reveals that reptile and amphibian species distributed in temperate-zone areas of the Northern Hemisphere are younger than taxa from the Southern Hemisphere, probably reflecting the greater impact of past climatic variation on Northern Hemisphere habitats. Because a species' age may influence its vulnerability to anthropogenic threats, geographical variation in species ages should be incorporated into conservation planning.
Dubey
Sylvain
S
School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia. sylvain.dubey@bio.usyd.edu.au
Shine
Richard
R
D000663:Amphibians / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002980:Climate; D003710:Demography; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D012104:Reptiles / Q000502:physiology*