Long-distance dispersal and inter-island colonization across the western Malagasy Region explain diversification in brush-warblers (Passeriformes: Nesillas )

Aldabra Atoll's brush-warblers (Nesillas) reveal a complex history of long-distance dispersal and inter-island colonization across the western Indian Ocean, challenging previous assumptions about their evolutionary relationships. Phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian methods uncovered that Comoros-endemic species are paraphyletic, while Madagascar's Nesillas typica and N. lantzii are not sister taxa despite diverging around 0.9 million years ago (Mya). The genus began diversifying ~1.6 Mya, with distinct ecological niches emerging in Malagasy lineages. This pattern aligns with the taxon cycle hypothesis, suggesting repeated dispersal events shaped their diversification. Ecological niche modeling and demographic analyses further supported these findings.

Fuchs, J., Lemoine, D., Parra, J. L., Pons, J.-M., Raherilalao, M. J., Prys-Jones, R., Thebaud, C., Warren, B. H., & Goodman, S. M. (2016). Long-distance dispersal and inter-island colonization across the western Malagasy Region explain diversification in brush-warblers (Passeriformes: Nesillas ). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 119(4), 873–889. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/bij.12825