Tree frogs evolved in the tropics, but many, like this European tree frog (Hyla arborea), have adapted to temperate regions.SXC.HU, MIHAI TAMASILA
Analyzing climatic data and the evolutionary relationships of nearly 3,000 amphibian species, a pair of researchers has identified the primary causes of the class' species richness in the tropics. A study citing the swift evolution of new species and historically low levels of extinction around the equator, as well as an influx of species from cooler latitudes, was published today (September 10) in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. In contrast, the researchers found that amphibian groups in temperate regions exhibited an inverse trend: cooler climates correlated with slower speciation and higher extinction rates, and generally do not attract new species dispersing from the tropics.
“The paper is remarkable in its reach to examine a diverse set of hypotheses for the generation ...
