Dataset Information

Restructuring of the 'Macaronesia' biogeographic unit: A marine multi-taxon biogeographical approach.

ABSTRACT: The Azores, Madeira, Selvagens, Canary Islands and Cabo Verde are commonly united under the term "Macaronesia". This study investigates the coherency and validity of Macaronesia as a biogeographic unit using six marine groups with very different dispersal abilities: coastal fishes, echinoderms, gastropod molluscs, brachyuran decapod crustaceans, polychaete annelids, and macroalgae. We found no support for the current concept of Macaronesia as a coherent marine biogeographic unit. All marine groups studied suggest the exclusion of Cabo Verde from the remaining Macaronesian archipelagos and thus, Cabo Verde should be given the status of a biogeographic subprovince within the West African Transition province. We propose to redefine the Lusitanian biogeographical province, in which we include four ecoregions: the South European Atlantic Shelf, the Saharan Upwelling, the Azores, and a new ecoregion herein named Webbnesia, which comprises the archipelagos of Madeira, Selvagens and the Canary Islands.

SUBMITTER: Freitas R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6831653 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Restructuring of the 'Macaronesia' biogeographic unit: A marine multi-taxon biogeographical approach.

Freitas Rui R Romeiras Maria M Silva Luís L Cordeiro Ricardo R Madeira Patrícia P González José Antonio JA Wirtz Peter P Falcón Jesús M JM Brito Alberto A Floeter Sergio R SR Afonso Pedro P Porteiro Filipe F Viera-Rodríguez María Ascensión MA Neto Ana Isabel AI Haroun Ricardo R Farminhão João N M JNM Rebelo Ana Cristina AC Baptista Lara L Melo Carlos S CS Martínez Alejandro A Núñez Jorge J Berning Björn B Johnson Markes E ME Ávila Sérgio P SP

Scientific reports 20191105 1

The Azores, Madeira, Selvagens, Canary Islands and Cabo Verde are commonly united under the term "Macaronesia". This study investigates the coherency and validity of Macaronesia as a biogeographic unit using six marine groups with very different dispersal abilities: coastal fishes, echinoderms, gastropod molluscs, brachyuran decapod crustaceans, polychaete annelids, and macroalgae. We found no support for the current concept of Macaronesia as a coherent marine biogeographic unit. All marine grou ...[more]

PMID: 31690834

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Dataset Information

Restructuring of the 'Macaronesia' biogeographic unit: A marine multi-taxon biogeographical approach.

Publications

Restructuring of the 'Macaronesia' biogeographic unit: A marine multi-taxon biogeographical approach.

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