Map turtles are known to have
experienced a rapid diversification leading to an uncertainty about their
species boundaries, their phylogenetic relationship within the genus and timing
of their divergence. Scientist used empirical prior on rates of molecular
evolution to estimate divergence times with a molecular clock. They found that
the divergence and phylogeny times are suggested to have been more recent and
more rapid. The results revealed that three major lineages of the map turtles (G.
geographica, megacephalic clade, western clade) were found to be monophyletic
while further analyses revealed that the map turtles are considerably younger
than previously estimated with the crown age being 0.9224- 2.41 my. The
megacephalic clade and western clade have identical crown ages suggesting that
these two lineages became diversified shortly after becoming isolated from one
another.
JOANNE
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