Grass snakes are widely distributed across the Western Palearctic. Recent phylogeographic
studies provided evidence that three distinct parapatric species exist. Two of these occur in …

Genetic diversity feeds the evolutionary process and allows populations to adapt to
environmental changes. However, we still lack a thorough understanding of why hotspots of …

Podarcis wall lizards are endemic to the Mediterranean Basin where they represent the
predominant reptile group. Despite being extensively used as model organisms in …

The complex orogenic history and structure of Central Asia, coupled with Pleistocene glacial
cycles have generated its stepwise aridification. Such events would have significantly …

The common practice of using subspecies as conservation targets raises the question of
whether efforts are focused on preserving conspicuous components of the species' …

Marine rockpools are isolated patches of habitat in the supratidal environment (the so-called
splash zone), at the transition between sea and land, found along the rocky shores …

Aim Emergence of coastal lowlands during Pleistocene ice ages might have provided
conditions for glacial expansions (demographic and spatial), rather than contraction, of …

Abstract Background The contribution of North Africa to the assembly of biodiversity within
the Western Palaearctic is still poorly documented. Since the Miocene, multiple biotic …

Aim To infer the biogeographical and evolutionary history of the Western Mediterranean
Psammodromus lizards with the aim of assessing the role of vicariance and dispersal on the …

Aim: Discontinuity in the distribution of genetic diversity (often based on mtDNA) is usually
interpreted as evidence for phylogeographic breaks, underlying vicariant units. However, a …