Genomic data clarify Aquarana systematics and reveal isolation-by-distance dominates phylogeography of the wide-ranging frog Rana clamitans

Wide-ranging species are often polytypic, span geographic dispersal barriers, and experience opportunities for divergence via genetic drift or natural selection. Such conditions can be favorable for speciation and wide-ranging taxa are frequently subdivided into multiple species by modern molecular studies. However, with wide-ranging species, it is important to explicitly test for isolation-by-distance (IBD) which can produce continuous genetic variation that may be misinterpreted as discrete population structure or even distinct species. Here we examine the Green Frog (Rana clamitans), a wide-ranging species of the Aquarana clade distributed across much of North America. Although Rana clamitans is phenotypically variable enough to previously merit description of two subspecies, patterns of genetic diversity remain unclear. Additionally, the broader phylogenetic context for R. clamitans is poorly understood, particularly its relationship with the closely related and IUCN Vulnerable Bog ..., ,