Convergent evolution of karst habitat preference and its ecomorphological correlation in three species of Bent-toed Geckos (Cyrtodactylus) from Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract By studying ecomorophology in the context of phylogeny, researchers can parse out similarity due to common ancestry versus that convergence. This is especially true among relatively closely related species where both phylogenetic and environmental constraints may be operating simultaneously. We explored these issues three karst-associated from two lineages Cyrtodactylus —the sworderi group Peninsular Malaysia swamp clade western Indonesia agamensis group. A stochastic character mapping analysis using five different habitat preferences corroborated a larger previous recovering general preference as an ancestral condition for all karst C. guakanthanensis gunungsenyumensis metropolis convergently evolved. Multivariate univariate analyses 10 morphometric characters revealed ecomorphological between was also convergent. The ecomorphology intermediate karst-adapted swamp-generalists ecomorphology. Of employed this analysis, only three—head length, head width, forelimb width—showed any signs signal. hypothesized recently refuged swamp-dwelling frequented Batu Caves environments prior urbanization surrounding which it now confined.