Phylogeography and ecological niche modeling reveal evolutionary history of Leiolepis ocellata (Squamata, Leiolepidae)

Leiolepis ocellata is a lizard species distributing in topographically diverse habitats in northern Thailand. To explore its evolutionary history, 113 samples of L. ocellata were collected from 11 localities covering its distributional range in northern Thailand, and sequenced for mtDNA fragments (Cyt b and ND2). Pairwise comparisons across sampling localities yielded significant genetic differentiation (F (ST) and Jost's D) but no clear pattern of isolation by distance could be demonstrated based on the Mantel test. Phylogenetic and network analyses highlighted six haplogroups. Their divergence times were estimated to occur during the Pleistocene, much more recent than major orogenic events affecting northern Thailand. Instead, the results suggested that lineage divergences, of particularly eastern and western haplogroups of the region, coincided with the major rivers in the region (Yom river and Ping river, respectively), indicating vicariance in response to riverine barriers. Furthermore, ecological niche modeling suggested an expansion of suitable habitats of L. ocellata, when LGM‐liked conditions. This expansion potentially facilitated their dispersal among adjacent localities leading to lineage diversification and genetic admixture, after the riverine divergence.