Far more species of organisms are found in the tropics than in temperate and polar regions,
but the evolutionary and ecological causes of this pattern remain controversial 1, 2. Tropical …

Functional traits have been fundamental to the evolution and diversification of entire fish
lineages on coral reefs. Yet their relationship with the processes promoting speciation …

Background Seahorses, seadragons, pygmy pipehorses, and pipefishes (Syngnathidae,
Syngnathiformes) are among the most recognizable groups of fishes because of their …

Reef fishes are an exceptionally speciose vertebrate assemblage, yet the main drivers of
their diversification remain unclear. It has been suggested that Miocene reef rearrangements …

Global biodiversity currently peaks at the equator and decreases toward the poles. Growing
fossil evidence suggest this hump-shaped latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) has not been …

Among the most enduring ecological challenges is an integrated theory explaining the
latitudinal biodiversity gradient, including discrepancies observed at different spatial scales …

Reef environments are rapidly transforming worldwide, and these changes are causing
major impacts to the reef ecosystem. Scientific knowledge is strategic for marine …

Our knowledge of the distribution and evolution of deep-sea life is limited, impeding our
ability to identify priority areas for conservation. Here we analyse large integrated …

Many important areas identified for conservation priorities focus on areas of high species
richness, however, it is unclear whether these areas change depending on what aspect of …

A core challenge in ecology is identifying the factors that determine species distribution and
functional diversity of species assemblages. Reef fish are the most diverse group of …