Coopers and Cladistics

Here is yet another remarkable story of trans-oceanic dispersal, comparably improbable with caecilians and monkeys across the Atlantic, or perhaps more so.

Harrison, S. E., Harvey, M. S., Cooper, S. J. B., Austin, A. D. & Rix, M. G. (2017) Across the Indian Ocean: A remarkable example of trans-oceanic dispersal in an austral mygalomorph spider. PLoS One 12, e0180139. 

One question we should consider is the uncertainty around the divergence time between South Africa and South Australia, with respect to the molecular clock calibration.

See also this article in The Converstion: Fair winds and following seas: yes, a spider could migrate across an ocean

Meet in the Fellows Bar area, University House - look for the signboard outside the room.

I will be away for several weeks. The next meeting is likely to happen on 21 September. 

Coopers and Cladistics is a long-running evolutionary biology discussion group held every second Thursday at University House, ANU. Please contact Mike Crisp if you would like to be included on the C&C email list.