Abstract
The Strait of Gibraltar, the gateway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, has a convulsive geological history, with recurring closing and opening events since the late Miocene. As a consequence, this region has played a major role in the evolutionary history of many species. Cynara baetica (Compositae) is a diploid perennial herb distributed in both sides of this strait. It is currently subdivided into two subspecies: C. baetica subsp. baetica for the Spanish populations, and C. baetica subsp. maroccana for the Moroccan ones. Following three different approximations of species delimitation, including phylogenetic and population genetic analyses (based on three AFLP primer combinations and two intergenic spacers of cpDNA), ecological niche modeling (ENM) and morphological studies, this taxon is investigated and reinterpreted. The results obtained showed a clear genetic, morphological and ecological differentiation between the two taxa and the important role played by the Strait of Gibraltar as a geographical barrier. Based on this evidence, the current taxonomic treatment is modified (both taxa should recover their specific rank) and specific conservation guidelines are proposed for the newly delimited taxa.
Highlights
The Strait of Gibraltar (SG) is the gateway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and separates the Eurasian and African plates at their westernmost parts
During the course of time, SG has acted as an effective barrier to gene flow in some taxa, stimulating genetic divergence (e.g., [82,83])
Given that chloroplast markers generally require much less time to fix novel mutations compared to nuclear ones [84], these results suggest that separation of these two lineages could have been relatively recent, most likely after the last reopening of SG at late Miocene (5.3 Mya [6]), in a vicariance process similar to that reported for many other animal and plant lineages (e.g., [85,86])
Summary
The Strait of Gibraltar (SG) is the gateway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and separates the Eurasian and African plates at their westernmost parts. It is a region with a convulsive geological history, and the strait has experienced recurring closing and opening events since the late Miocene The last re-opening of the strait (5.3 Mya [6]) triggered independent evolutionary processes on both sides [7]. 3.6 Mya), the climatic conditions of the region changed resulting in a Mediterranean climate with strong oceanic influence [8] and ever since, these remained relatively stable, despite the fact that. During the Mid-Pliocene (ca. 3.6 Mya), the climatic conditions of the region changed resulting in a Mediterranean climate with strong oceanic influence [8] and ever since, these remained relatively stable, despite the fact that
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