title: Multilocus Phylogeny of the Afrotropical Freshwater Crab Fauna Reveals Historical Drainage Connectivity and Transoceanic Dispersal Since the Eocene.
abstract: Phylogenetic reconstruction, divergence time estimations and ancestral range estimation were undertaken for 66% of the Afrotropical freshwater crab fauna (Potamonautidae) based on four partial DNA loci (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, cytochrome oxidase one [COI], and histone 3). The present study represents the most comprehensive taxonomic sampling of any freshwater crab family globally, and explores the impact of paleodrainage interconnectivity on cladogenesis among freshwater crabs. Phylogenetic analyses of the total evidence data using maximum-likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP), and Bayesian inference (BI) produced a robust statistically well-supported tree topology that reaffirmed the monophyly of the Afrotropical freshwater crab fauna. The estimated divergence times suggest that the Afrotropical Potamonautidae diverged during the Eocene. Cladogenesis within and among several genera occurred predominantly during the Miocene, which was associated with major tectonic and climatic ameliorations throughout the region. Paleodrainage connectivity was observed with specimens from the Nilo-Sudan and East African coast proving to be sister to specimens from the Upper Guinea Forests in West Africa. In addition, we observed strong sister taxon affinity between specimens from East Africa and the Congo basin, including specimens from Lake Tanganyika, while the southern African fauna was retrieved as sister to the Angolan taxa. Within the East African clade we observed two independent transoceanic dispersal events, one to the Seychelles Archipelago and a second to Madagascar, while we observe a single transoceanic dispersal event from West Africa to São Tomé. The ancestral area estimation suggested a West African/East African ancestral range for the family with multiple dispersal events between southern Africa and East Africa, and between East Africa and Central Africa The taxonomic implications of our results are discussed in light of the widespread paraphyly evident among a number of genera.
authors: Department of Botany and Zoology, Private Bag X1, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe-University, Biologicum, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Peoples Republic of China; Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany; and Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855-5376, USA srd@sun.ac.za.
authors: Savel R
authors: SR
authors: Daniels
authors: Department of Botany and Zoology, Private Bag X1, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe-University, Biologicum, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Peoples Republic of China; Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany; and Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855-5376, USA.
authors: Ethel E
authors: EE
authors: Phiri
authors: Department of Botany and Zoology, Private Bag X1, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe-University, Biologicum, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Peoples Republic of China; Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany; and Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855-5376, USA Department of Botany and Zoology, Private Bag X1, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe-University, Biologicum, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Peoples Republic of China; Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany; and Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855-5376, USA.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Klaus
authors: Department of Botany and Zoology, Private Bag X1, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe-University, Biologicum, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Peoples Republic of China; Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany; and Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855-5376, USA.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Albrecht
authors: Department of Botany and Zoology, Private Bag X1, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe-University, Biologicum, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Peoples Republic of China; Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany; and Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855-5376, USA.
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Cumberlidge
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D005618:Fresh Water; D020459:Genes, rRNA / Q000235:genetics; D005843:Geography; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: Eocene; Potamonautidae; paleodrainage; sub-Saharan Africa and associated islands; zoogeography