Life Sciences Commons^™

Phylogenetic Relationships Of Crown Conchs (Melongena Spp.): The Corona Complex Simplified, Kenneth Hayes, Stephen Karl

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

The larval stages of marine taxa are often assumed to have an overriding influence on the phylogeographical structure of a species as well as on rates of speciation. Phylogeographical disjunctions in high-dispersal marine taxa are generally attributed to historical events or contemporary ecological factors. The lack of genetic structure in low-dispersal marine taxa is often ascribed to rafting by juveniles, yet few studies discuss the effects of historical conditions. Around peninsular Florida, there are three species of the crown conch, Melongena, which have direct-developing, crawl-away larvae. One of these species, M. corona, is subdivided into three subspecies. We refer to …