Atlantic reef fish biogeography and evolution

AIM: To understand why and when areas of endemism (provinces) of the tropical Atlantic Ocean were formed, how they relate to each other, and what processes have contributed to faunal enrichment. RESULTS: Phylogenetic (proportion of sister species) and distributional (number of shared species) patterns are generally concordant with recognized biogeographical provinces in the Atlantic. The highly uneven distribution of species in certain genera appears to be related to their origin, with highest species richness in areas with the greatest phylogenetic depth. Diversity buildup in Atlantic reef fishes involved (1) diversification within each province, (2) isolation as a result of biogeographical barriers, and (3) stochastic accretion by means of dispersal between provinces. The timing of divergence events is not concordant among taxonomic groups. The three soft (non-terrestrial) inter-regional barriers (mid-Atlantic, Amazon, and Benguela) clearly act as ‘filters’ by restricting dispersal but at the same time allowing occasional crossings that apparently lead to the establishment of new populations and species. Fluctuations in the effectiveness of the filters, combined with ecological differences among provinces, apparently provide a mechanism for much of the recent diversification of reef fishes in the Atlantic.

Description

Keywords

Atlantic Ocean Biodiversity Biogeographical Barriers Biogeographical Provinces Historical Biogeography Marine Biogeography Phylogeography Speciation Tethys Sea

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1605

Citation

Floeter, S.R.; Rocha, L.A.; Robertson, D.R.; Joyeux, J.C.; Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Wirtz, P.; Edwards, A.J.; Barreiros, J.P.; Ferreira, C.E.L.; Gasparini, J.L.; Brito, A.; Falcón, J.M.; Bowen, B.W.; Bernardi, G. (2008). "Atlantic reef fish biogeography and evolution". «Journal of Biogeography», 35(1): 22-47. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01790.x