Principal Investigator: Salvador Carranza
Research lines
Research Lines
1. Historical biogeography and evolution of the reptiles and amphibians around the westernmost Mediterranean
Our main objectives are: 1) infer the geographical history and evolution of the reptiles and amphibians around the westernmost Mediterranean Basin; 2) characterize and compare the molecular evolutionary rates of reptiles and amphibians; and 3) test the current taxonomy of the groups concerned.
2. Uses of phylogenies to study evolutionary, ecological and biogeographical processes: the North African and Arabian arid reptile faunas
In this project, we are using molecular phylogenies from multiple reptile taxa to address a whole range of evolutionary, ecological and biogeographical questions. The main objectives of the project are: 1) to understand how deserts gain and maintain their endemic faunas; 2) to infer the age of the Sahara and Arabian deserts; 3) to compare the diversification rates of several desert lineages; and 4) to test and improve the current taxonomy of the groups concerned.
3. Island biogeography and evolution
The main goal of this research line is to take advantage of the excellent experimental conditions of the island systems to try to understand how biodiversity is generated and maintained. Island systems offer great opportunities to study evolution, and are especially attractive environments for several reasons:
1) They present discrete geographical entities within defined oceanic boundaries;
2) Gene flow between individual islands is reduced by oceanic barriers;
3) Their often small geographical size has made the cataloguing of flora and fauna easier than continental systems; 4) despite their small geographical size they can contain a diversity of habitats; and 5) they are often geologically dynamic with historical and contemporary volcanic and erosional activity. At the moment we are investigating both oceanic and continental islands' reptilian fauna from several places in the world including the Canary Islands and Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean and the Socotra archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
Lab website: Carranza Lab
News
IBE researchers introduce 15-year-olds to evolutionary biology and biodiversity in a scientific stage in the Pyrenees
Principal Investigator
Current members
Publications since 2011
Tamar, K.; Metallinou, M.; Wilms, T.; Schmitz, A.; Crochet, P.-A.; Geniez, P.; Carranza, S. 2018. Evolutionary history of spiny-tailed lizards (Agamidae: Uromastyx) from the Saharo-Arabian region. Zoologica Scripta. 47(2):159-173 doi: 10.1111/zsc.12266
Tallowin, O.J.S.; Tamar, K.; Meiri, S.; Allison, A.; Kraus, F.; Richards, S.J.; Oliver, P.M. (2018) Early insularity and subsequent mountain uplift were complementary drivers of diversification in a Melanesian lizard radiation (Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 125:29-39 doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.03.020
Simó-Riudalbas, M.; Tarroso P.; Papenfuss, T.; Al-Sariri, T.; Carranza, S. 2018. Systematics, biogeography and evolution of Asaccus gallagheri (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) with the description of a new endemic species from Oman. Systematics and Biodiversity. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2017.1403496
Salvi, D.; Perera, A.; Sampaio, F.L.; Carranza, S.; Harris, D.J. (2018) Underground cryptic speciation within the Maghreb: Multilocus phylogeography sheds light on the diversification of the checkerboard worm lizard Trogonophis wiegmanni. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 120:118-128 doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.11.013
Mendes, J.; Salvi, D.; Harris, D.J.; Els, J.; Carranza, S. (2018) Hidden in the Arabian Mountains: Multilocus phylogeny reveals cryptic diversity in the endemic Omanosaura lizards. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. (): doi: 10.1111/jzs.12210
Ongoing projects
In the media
On the news "The Hidden Biodiversity of Reptiles" (about Salvador Carranza):
- 3rd March, 2017. Green Report (Italy). "Grossa sorpresa nell’Oman: una sottospecie di geco sono in realtà 14 specie sconosciute"
- 27th February, 2017. Muscat Daily. "Scientists uncover 14 new gecko species within a single subspecies"
- 16th February, 2017. betevé. "Entrevista a Salvador Carranza sobre noves espècies rèptils"
- 15th February, 2017. El País. "El lagarto que ocultaba 14 especies diferentes"
- 13th February, 2017. El Mundo. "Catorce especies en una"
- 11th February, 2017. The National. "Hajar Mountain gecko family could be as many as 10 subspecies, researchers say"
- 7th February, 2017. Digital Plural. "Una subespecie de geco oculta 14 especies diferentes"
- 7th February, 2017. Diari de Girona (print). "Científics descobreixen 14 espècies de rèptils diferents"
- 7th February, 2017. Diari de Girona (web). "Científics descobreixen 14 espècies de rèptils diferents"
- 6th February, 2017. VilaWeb. "Descobreixen 14 espècies d’un rèptil classificat fins ara com una única subespècie"
- 6th February, 2017. Biotecnologiaaldia.es. "La biodiversidad oculta de los reptiles"
- 6th February, 2017. Amazings (NCYT). "Una subespecie de geco oculta 14 especies diferentes"
- 6h February, 2017. La Vanguardia. "Descubren 14 especies de reptiles diferentes que hasta ahora creían una sola"
- 6th February, 2017. TecnoXplora. "Una subespecie de geco oculta 14 especies diferentes"
- 6th February, 2017. Voz Populi. "El geco que era en realidad 14 gecos"
- 6th February, 2017. AlDia.cat. "Descobreixen 14 espècies d'un rèptil classificat fins ara com una única subespècie"
- 6th February, 2017. Agencia SINC. "Una subespecie de geco oculta 14 especies diferentes"
On Salvador Carranza's article "Microendemicity in the northern Hajar Mountains of Oman and the United Arab Emirates with the description of two new species of geckos of the genus Asaccus (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae)"
- 1st October, 2016. The National (UAE). "Lizard unique to UAE at risk due to loss of habitat"
- 29th August, 2016. Muscat Daily (Oman). "Scientists discover two new species of gecko endemic to Musandam"
15th March, 2016. Muscat Daily. "One of world’s rarest snakes discovered in sultanate" (with the participation of Salvador Carranza).
26th December, 2015. The National (UAE). "DNA analysis reveals new identity for UAE geckos". Comments by Salvador Carranza.