2019
Genetically informed captive breeding of hybrids of an extinct species of Galapagos tortoise
Quinzin M, Sandoval‐Castillo J, Miller J, Beheregaray L, Russello M, Hunter E, Gibbs J, Tapia W, Villalva F, Caccone A. Genetically informed captive breeding of hybrids of an extinct species of Galapagos tortoise. Conservation Biology 2019, 33: 1404-1414. PMID: 30901116, DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13319.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOverall genetic diversityGenetic diversityExtinct speciesC. nigerFloreana IslandExtinct taxaCaptive breeding strategiesCaptive breeding programsSmall breeding groupsGalapagos tortoisesSpecies restoration programsHigh ancestrySpecies biologyExtant speciesGenetic integrityCaptive breedingGenomic representationAdaptive potentialSpecies conservationBreeding strategiesSpecies recoveryGenotypic dataEndemic rangeBiodiversity conservationEcosystem restoration
2016
Ecological and evolutionary influences on body size and shape in the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
Chiari Y, Glaberman S, Tarroso P, Caccone A, Claude J. Ecological and evolutionary influences on body size and shape in the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Oecologia 2016, 181: 885-894. PMID: 27041683, DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3618-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGalápagos marine iguanasMarine iguanasEvolutionary historyBody sizeGenetic adaptationBody size variationSexual dimorphismHigh morphological diversityStrong sexual dimorphismContribution of plasticityShape variationPhylogeographic patternsMultiple colonizationsEndemic speciesLocal adaptationEvolutionary changeMorphological diversityEvolutionary influencesDistribution rangeOceanic islandsSource populationIguanasEnvironmental conditionsSize variationMorphological measurements
2015
Description of a New Galapagos Giant Tortoise Species (Chelonoidis; Testudines: Testudinidae) from Cerro Fatal on Santa Cruz Island
Poulakakis N, Edwards D, Chiari Y, Garrick R, Russello M, Benavides E, Watkins-Colwell G, Glaberman S, Tapia W, Gibbs J, Cayot L, Caccone A. Description of a New Galapagos Giant Tortoise Species (Chelonoidis; Testudines: Testudinidae) from Cerro Fatal on Santa Cruz Island. PLOS ONE 2015, 10: e0138779. PMID: 26488886, PMCID: PMC4619298, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138779.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMultiple independent evolutionary lineagesGiant tortoise speciesIndependent evolutionary lineagesCompelling genetic evidenceGalapagos tortoisesRank of speciesSanta Cruz IslandGenetic distinctivenessAnalysis of DNAEvolutionary lineagesEvolutionary relationshipsNatural populationsDNA charactersDistinct lineagesIsland of originTaxonomic revisionMorphological charactersMuseum specimensNew speciesGenetic evidenceTortoise speciesLineagesSpeciesTortoisesType specimen
2014
Lineage fusion in Galápagos giant tortoises
Garrick R, Benavides E, Russello M, Hyseni C, Edwards D, Gibbs J, Tapia W, Ciofi C, Caccone A. Lineage fusion in Galápagos giant tortoises. Molecular Ecology 2014, 23: 5276-5290. PMID: 25223395, DOI: 10.1111/mec.12919.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLineage fusionGiant tortoise speciesGalápagos giant tortoisesWidespread introgressive hybridizationLong generation timesWolf VolcanoCryptic lineagesReticulate evolutionIntrogressive hybridizationLineage splittingMicrosatellite dataGalápagos tortoisesPopulation geneticsEvolutionary phenomenaMate selectivityTortoise speciesGiant tortoisesLineagesGeneration timeRapid extinctionTortoisesPurebred femalesFusionIslandsHistorical reconstruction