Evolutionary biogeography of the Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico

The Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico, serves as a critical biogeographic node where Nearctic and Neotropical species overlap, suggesting it functions as a distinct province or district within the Pacific Lowlands. Researchers identified two ancient cenocrons—one originating from Baja California and another from the Pacific coast—that colonized the archipelago during the Pliocene–Pleistocene, likely after volcanic activity shaped the islands. Using parsimony analysis of endemicity and cladistic biogeographic methods, the study reconstructed the evolutionary pathways of 194 species, revealing a complex geobiotic history tied to the Mathematician Ridge's volcanism. This work provides new insights into the archipelago's role in shaping biodiversity and its geological origins.

García-Navarrete, P. G., Escalante, T., Espinosa, D., & Morrone, J. J. (2023). Evolutionary biogeography of the Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico. Journal of Natural History, 57(9-12), 685–709. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2203337