Research in Macaronesia has led to substantial advances in ecology, evolution and
conservation biology. We review the scientific developments achieved in this region, and …

The growth and decay of oceanic hotspot volcanoes are intrinsically related to a competition
between volcanic construction and erosive destruction, and coastlines are at the forefront of …

Background The evolutionary history of the biota of North Africa and Arabia is inextricably
tied to the complex geological and climatic evolution that gave rise to the prevalent deserts …

The gecko Tarentola mauritanica is a Mediterranean species that is widely distributed
across southern Europe and North Africa. Initial phylogeographic studies based on mtDNA …

Dietary studies can reveal valuable information on how species exploit their habitats and are
of particular importance for insular endemics conservation as these species present higher …

This chapter reviews current knowledge on the diversity of terrestrial reptiles in the Gulf of
Guinea oceanic islands and provides a brief history of research on this group of animals. A …

Abstract Background The South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) archipelagos and Madagascar
constitute a hotspot of biodiversity with a high rate of endemism. In this area, the endemic …

The rapid development of innovative molecular tools for characterizing biodiversity is
leading to an extensive and sometimes unexpected renovation of taxonomic classifications …

Typhlops vermicularis is the only extant scolecophidian representative occurring in Europe.
Its main distribution area, the eastern Mediterranean, has a complicated geological and …

Background The pronounced morphological conservatism within Tarentola geckos
contrasted with a high genetic variation in North Africa, has led to the hypothesis that this …