Data from: Ecomorphological convergence in Eleutherodactylus frogs: a case of replicate radiations in the Caribbean

Replicate radiations, the repeated multiplication of species associated
with ecological divergence, have attracted much attention and generated as
much debate. Due to the few well‐studied cases, it remains unclear whether
replicate radiations are an exceptional result of evolution or a
relatively common example of the power of adaptation by natural selection.
We examined the case of Eleutherodactylus frogs, which radiated in the
Caribbean islands resulting in more than 160 species that occupy very
diverse habitats. A time‐calibrated phylogeny revealed that these frogs
independently diversified on all larger islands producing species that
occupy a broad range of microhabitats in different islands. Using
phylogenetic comparative methods, we found an association between
morphological traits and particular microhabitats, and for most
microhabitats detected significant morphological convergence. Our results
indicate Caribbean Eleutherodactylus are a novel example of replicate
radiations, and highlight the predictability of evolutionary processes, as
similar ecological opportunities can lead to similar outcomes.