Testing Models of Marine Speciation
Author Information
Author(s): Hickerson Michael J, Meyer Christopher P
Primary Institution: Queens College, City University of New York; Smithsonian Institution
Hypothesis
Is marine allopatric speciation driven more by soft vicariance or by peripatric colonization?
Conclusion
The study found strong evidence for simultaneous colonization across cowrie gastropod endemics in the Marquesas, while the Hawaiian data showed uncertainty in the speciation process.
Supporting Evidence
- The HABC analysis indicated strong support for colonization in the Marquesas.
- The Hawaiian data showed mixed results, suggesting both colonization and vicariance may be involved.
- Simulations confirmed the model's ability to distinguish between the two histories under various conditions.
Takeaway
Scientists studied how marine animals become new species and found that in some islands, many species likely came from a few colonizers, while in others, the story is less clear.
Methodology
The study used a hierarchical Bayesian model to analyze mtDNA sequences from multiple co-distributed taxa to test two hypotheses of marine allopatric speciation.
Potential Biases
Potential biases from selection at mtDNA could affect results.
Limitations
The Hawaiian dataset had lower sample sizes leading to greater uncertainty in estimates.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on cowrie gastropods endemic to the Hawaiian and Marquesan archipelagos.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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