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Abstract

Next article FreeAbout the CoverFull TextPDF Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreCoverThe shrimp shown on the cover, Halocaridinides trigonophthalma, is one of three species studied by Weese et al. (pages 24–41) as part of research to understand how past events can influence the evolutionary trajectories of populations, the fundamental unit of evolution. This species, along with two other shrimp examined (Antecaridina lauensis and Metabetaeus minutus) differ in characteristics such as the size of their eggs and how their larvae feed. These three species are part of what is known as the anchialine niche, defined as coastal land-locked bodies of salt or brackish water that fluctuate with the tides due to subterranean connections to the sea. The evolutionary history of organisms from this habitat is thought to be strongly correlated with the geologic history of the areas, mainly islands, in which they occur.The islands of the Indo-West Pacific are among the richest in the world in biodiversity, and past phylogeographic studies typically support either the center of origin hypothesis or the center of accumulation hypothesis to explain this high species diversity. To distinguish between these alternatives for anchialine taxa from the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, the authors investigated the genetic variation, population structure, and evolutionary history of the three species, which differ in life-history characteristics but overlap in geographic range. The results of their genetic studies suggest multiple colonizations of the archipelago and support the center of accumulation hypothesis for these species. This research further highlights the complex ecology and evolution of anchialine organisms in general and of those from the Indo-West Pacific in particular.Credits: Photo, Yoshihisa Fujita, University of the Ryukyus; Cover design, Beth Liles, Marine Biological Laboratory. Next article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Biological Bulletin Volume 225, Number 1August 2013 Published in association with the Marine Biological Laboratory Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/BBLv225n1cover Views: 75 © 2013 by Marine Biological Laboratory. All rights reserved. Crossref reports no articles citing this article.