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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Cryptic Diversity And Conservation Of Gopher Frogs Across The Southeastern United States, Stephen C. Richter, Eric M. O’Neill, Schyler O. Nunziata, Andrew Rumments, Emily S. Gustin, Jeanne E. Young, Brian I. Crother
Cryptic Diversity And Conservation Of Gopher Frogs Across The Southeastern United States, Stephen C. Richter, Eric M. O’Neill, Schyler O. Nunziata, Andrew Rumments, Emily S. Gustin, Jeanne E. Young, Brian I. Crother
Biological Sciences Faculty and Staff Research
Identifying cryptic biodiversity is fundamental to evolutionary biology and to conservation efforts. This study investigated range-wide genetic diversity of Gopher Frogs, Lithobates capito, across the southeastern United States coastal plain to determine implications for taxonomy and conservation. We collected data for two mtDNA regions in 21 populations to identify genetic structure across the geographic distribution of the species. Based on population genetic, phylogenetic, and genealogical analyses, we recovered three reciprocally monophyletic mtDNA lineages corresponding to mainland coastal plain populations and two lineages within peninsular Florida. Breakpoints for these lineages did not occur in previously identified hotspots of amphibian phylogeographic breaks …
Conservation Assessment And Habitat Notes For Three Rare Alabama Crayfishes: Cambarus Cracens, Cambarus Scotti, And Cambarus Unestami, Stephanie L. Kilburn, Christopher A. Taylor, Guenter Schuster
Conservation Assessment And Habitat Notes For Three Rare Alabama Crayfishes: Cambarus Cracens, Cambarus Scotti, And Cambarus Unestami, Stephanie L. Kilburn, Christopher A. Taylor, Guenter Schuster
Biological Sciences Faculty and Staff Research
Over seventy percent of the world's freshwater crayfish species are found within the United States, and much of this diversity is concentrated in the southeastern United States. Yet many of these species remain understudied. Of particular interest is the conservation status of these understudied taxa. We conducted fieldwork in 2011 across northeastern Alabama and northwestern Georgia to review the occurrence, habitat, and in sonic cases, local population densities of three crayfish species (Cambarus scotti, C. unestami, and C. cracens) to determine current distributions in relation to historical surveys. All three species occur in flowing small to medium-sized streams with firm …