Evolution and dispersal of snakes across the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction

© 2021. The Author(s)..

Mass extinctions have repeatedly shaped global biodiversity. The Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction caused the demise of numerous vertebrate groups, and its aftermath saw the rapid diversification of surviving mammals, birds, frogs, and teleost fishes. However, the effects of the K-Pg extinction on the evolution of snakes-a major clade of predators comprising over 3,700 living species-remains poorly understood. Here, we combine an extensive molecular dataset with phylogenetically and stratigraphically constrained fossil calibrations to infer an evolutionary timescale for Serpentes. We reveal a potential diversification among crown snakes associated with the K-Pg mass extinction, led by the successful colonisation of Asia by the major extant clade Afrophidia. Vertebral morphometrics suggest increasing morphological specialisation among marine snakes through the Paleogene. The dispersal patterns of snakes following the K-Pg underscore the importance of this mass extinction event in shaping Earth's extant vertebrate faunas.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2021

Erschienen:

2021

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:12

Enthalten in:

Nature communications - 12(2021), 1 vom: 14. Sept., Seite 5335

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Klein, Catherine G [VerfasserIn]
Pisani, Davide [VerfasserIn]
Field, Daniel J [VerfasserIn]
Lakin, Rebecca [VerfasserIn]
Wills, Matthew A [VerfasserIn]
Longrich, Nicholas R [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

DNA, Ancient
Historical Article
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 06.10.2021

Date Revised 06.02.2023

published: Electronic

Dryad: 10.5061/dryad.tv055

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1038/s41467-021-25136-y

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM330639250