New gecko species identified in West African rain forests
Monday, September 13, 2010 - 13:14
in Biology & Nature
Using a new statistical method to compare the genes of 50 specimens of the West African forest gecko, researchers have determined that the widely distributed species is actually four distinct species that appear to have evolved over the past 100,000 years as the rain forest fragmented with increasing aridification. The finding demonstrates the wealth of biodiversity still surviving in the islands of tropical rain forest in West Africa.