Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research | 2021
Gondwana breakup under the ephemeral look
Abstract
Vicariance and dispersal associated with plate tectonics helped shape diversification and distribution patterns of biodiversity across the planet (Chamberland et al., 2018; JuradoRivera et al., 2017; Toussaint, Hendrich, et al., 2017). Gradual breakup of ancient supercontinents contributed to cladogenetic events, dividing lineages by vicariance (see Kim & Farrell, 2015; Sanmartín & Ronquist, 2004; Toussaint et al., 2017) and dispersal through corridors that connected land fragments (see Reguero et al., 2014; Seton et al., 2012). Thus, vicariant events associated with the Gondwana breakup are commonly invoked to explain the disjunct distribution of ancient lineages across continents in the southern hemisphere (McCulloch et al., 2016; Sanmartín & Ronquist, 2004), while transoceanic dispersal would be responsible for this pattern of distribution in more recent lineages (Condamine et al., 2013; MartínBravo & Daniel, 2016). Gondwana breakup occurred gradually and can be divided into two phases. The first began in the Early Jurassic (~180 mya), resulting in the separation of West Gondwana (South America/Africa) from East Gondwana (Madagascar, India, Antarctica, and Australia), ca. 140 mya (Mueller & Jokat, 2019; Seton et al., 2012; Thompson et al., 2019). However, it is important to note that southern South America was connected to the Antarctic Peninsula through the Weddellian Isthmus until the opening of Drake Passage at ca. 35 mya (Elsworth et al., 2017). The second phase began in the Early Cretaceous (~135 mya), and resulted in the separation between Madagascar/ Received: 1 November 2020 | Revised: 26 March 2021 | Accepted: 28 March 2021 DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12477