Genome-wide markers untangle the green-lizard radiation in the Aegean Sea and support a rare biogeographical pattern

Aim: The Aegean Sea constitutes a major biogeographic barrier between the European and Asian continents and several models of diversification in the Aegean have been documented. Here we test three of those models for the Aegean green-lizards (Lacerta trilineata–pamphylica group): Vicariance vs. Overland Dispersal vs. Island Stepping-stone Dispersal. We investigate these hypotheses and complement our knowledge on the impact of the Aegean Barrier on east Mediterranean taxa.

Location: Aegean Sea, east Mediterranean

Taxon: Lacerta lizards

Methods: We analysed ddRAD loci (double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA) to estimate species-trees under coalescent models and maximum likelihood trees using concatenation. We performed hierarchical population structure analyses and inferred ancestral distribution-areas. We also sequenced the complete cytochrome b gene and produced a time-calibrated mtDNA gene-tree tree to conduct a critical comparison with previous studies.

Results: Aeg...