Island population dynamics since the Late Miocene; comparative phylogeography of mammalian species in three genera (Pentalagus, Diplothrix, and Tokudaia) endemic to the Central Ryukyu Islands
The Ryukyu Islands have experienced a complex history of island connection and separation since the Late Miocene. Particularly in the Central Ryukyus, characterized by high species endemism, questions persist regarding how organisms evolved through changes in island configurations over millions of years. We conducted comparative phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses among island populations targeting five mammalian species (Pentalagus furnessi, Diplothrix legata, and three Tokudaia species), all of which belong to genera endemic to the Central Ryukyu. We employed the multiplexed ISSR genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq) method to obtain genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).