Evolutionary biogeography of the terrestrial biota of the Marquesas Islands, one of the world's remotest archipelagos

A comparative analysis of the Marquesas Islands' terrestrial biota reveals that its evolutionary patterns closely resemble those of the Hawaiian Islands more than the Society Islands. Most Marquesan lineages trace their closest relatives to other Pacific archipelagos, with monophyletic radiations being common and diversification often paralleling the archipelago's formation, which is less than 5.5 million years old. The study, based on a review of 37 phylogenetic studies, also identifies limited evidence for within-island diversification but suggests some radiations may follow a weak progression rule, with younger lineages found on younger islands. This research sheds light on the biogeographic dynamics of one of the world's most remote archipelagos.

Hembry, D. H. (2018). Evolutionary biogeography of the terrestrial biota of the Marquesas Islands, one of the world’s remotest archipelagos. Journal of Biogeography, 45(8), 1713–1726. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13378