Revision of widespread red squirrels (genus: Tamiasciurus) highlights the complexity of speciation within North American forests.

摘要: Integration of molecular methods, ecological modeling, and statistical hypothesis testing are increasing our understanding differentiation within species phylogenetic relationships among by revealing environmental connections to evolutionary processes. Within mammals, novel diversity is being discovered characterized as more complete geographic sampling coupled with newer multi-disciplinary approaches. North American red squirrels exemplify a forest obligate genus whose monitored indicators ecosystem condition, yet reflecting history this remain tentative. Through competing systematic niche-based divergence hypotheses, we recognize three species, Tamiasciurus douglasii, T. hudsonicus, fremonti. Our data provide evidence regional differences in dynamics continental gradients complexity that important both for future management investigating multiple pathways can lead the formation new species.