Biogeography and Phylogenetic Analysis of Caribbean Species

The Caribbean archipelago, formed by complex tectonic events and fluctuating sea levels, represents a natural laboratory for the study of species origins, dispersal and diversification. Biogeography assesses how geographic, climatic and historical factors shape the distribution of organisms, while phylogenetic analysis reconstructs evolutionary relationships using genetic data. In the Caribbean context, these approaches have revealed a mosaic of colonisation pathways, including ancient land-bridge connections, overwater rafting and aerial dispersal, as well as instances of reverse colonisation back to continental landmasses. High levels of endemism on individual islands reflect both the strength of oceanic barriers and the emergence of novel ecological niches. Integrating time-calibrated molecular trees with detailed knowledge of island palaeogeography has enabled precise estimation of divergence times and the testing of competing hypotheses. Such insights are vital for understanding biodiversity patterns, informing conservation strategies and predicting responses to ongoing environmental change across tropical island systems.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Analyses of nuclear gene sequences in a rare Cuban mammal demonstrate unexpectedly recent divergence from its closest relative on Hispaniola. A multilocus phylogenetic framework, calibrated with relaxed molecular clocks, places the split in the Early Pliocene and supports an overwater dispersal scenario rather than vicariance. This finding challenges traditional assumptions about land-bridge colonisation in Caribbean mammals and underlines the role of oceanic dispersal even for small terrestrial vertebrates.

A genus of orb-weaver spiders endemic to the region has been studied using combined mitochondrial and nuclear markers to infer species-level relationships and biogeographic history. Time-calibrated trees indicate a mid-Miocene arrival via overwater dispersal, followed by in situ diversification into exclusively single-island endemics. Biogeographic models incorporating founder-event parameters best explain the sequential colonisation of Greater and Lesser Antilles, emphasising the importance of rare long-distance jump dispersal in shaping Caribbean arthropod diversity.

Biogeography and Phylogenetic Analysis of Caribbean Species publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in biogeography and phylogenetic analysis of caribbean species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Vicariance: The separation of populations by a geographical barrier leading to independent evolutionary paths.

Overwater dispersal: The movement of organisms across ocean barriers by means such as rafting, swimming or flight.

Founder event: Colonisation of a new area by a small number of individuals that establish an isolated population.

Molecular clock: A method estimating divergence times by assuming a roughly constant rate of genetic mutation over time.

Phylogenetic clade: A group of organisms sharing a common ancestor, as defined by their position on a phylogenetic tree.

Endemism: The ecological state in which a species is restricted to a single geographic location, such as an island.

References

1. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of nuclear genes suggests a Cenozoic over-water dispersal origin for the Cuban solenodon. Scientific Reports (2016).
2. Biogeography of the Caribbean Cyrtognatha spiders. Scientific Reports (2019).
3. Towards a synthesis of the Caribbean biogeography of terrestrial arthropods. BMC Ecology and Evolution (2020).
4. Genomic timetree and historical biogeography of Caribbean island ameiva lizards (Pholidoscelis: Teiidae). Ecology and Evolution (2017).
5. Causes of endemic radiation in the Caribbean: evidence from the historical biogeography and diversification of the butterfly genus Calisto(Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Satyrini). BMC Ecology and Evolution (2014).