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  1. Abstract Phenotypic differentiation among animal populations is common, yet few studies have simultaneously examined the adaptive and neutral mechanisms behind it. Such evolutionary processes become more relevant in species with complex behaviours that undergo global and local selective pressures throughout their geographical range. Here we measured and compared morphological and acoustic variation across the distribution range of a Neotropical gladiator tree frog that shows elaborate reproduction (territoriality, complex courtship and female choice). We then incorporated molecular and landscape data to examine the roles of sexual selection, genetic drift and acoustic adaptation to the environment in call differentiation, i.e. the acoustic adaptation hypothesis (AAH). We found that calls varied more than morphology among populations, but differences in calls or morphological traits were not explained by genetic differentiation. We found no evidence for the AAH, but a significant relationship in the opposite direction regarding call frequencies suggests an indirect role of sexual selection. Differentiation on call traits that are associated with individual discrimination and/or female attraction also corroborated an important role of sexual selection. We show that multitrait and multimechanism approaches can elucidate intricate processes leading to phenotypic variation among individuals and populations. We emphasize that studies of species with complex reproductive behaviours across their range may provide insights into different selective pressures leading to phenotypic differentiation. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available June 9, 2024
  2. Phylogenomic investigations of biodiversity facilitate the detection of fine-scale population genetic structure and the demographic histories of species and populations. However, determining whether or not the genetic divergence measured among populations reflects species-level differentiation remains a central challenge in species delimitation. One potential solution is to compare genetic divergence between putative new species with other closely related species, sometimes referred to as a reference-based taxonomy. To be described as a new species, a population should be at least as divergent as other species. Here, we develop a reference-based taxonomy for Horned Lizards ( Phrynosoma ; 17 species) using phylogenomic data (ddRADseq data) to provide a framework for delimiting species in the Greater Short-horned Lizard species complex ( P. hernandesi ). Previous species delimitation studies of this species complex have produced conflicting results, with morphological data suggesting that P. hernandesi consists of five species, whereas mitochondrial DNA support anywhere from 1 to 10 + species. To help address this conflict, we first estimated a time-calibrated species tree for P. hernandesi and close relatives using SNP data. These results support the paraphyly of P. hernandesi; we recommend the recognition of two species to promote a taxonomy that is consistent with species monophyly. There is strong evidence for three populations within P. hernandesi , and demographic modeling and admixture analyses suggest that these populations are not reproductively isolated, which is consistent with previous morphological analyses that suggest hybridization could be common. Finally, we characterize the population-species boundary by quantifying levels of genetic divergence for all 18 Phrynosoma species. Genetic divergence measures for western and southern populations of P. hernandesi failed to exceed those of other Phrynosoma species, but the relatively small population size estimated for the northern population causes it to appear as a relatively divergent species. These comparisons underscore the difficulties associated with putting a reference-based approach to species delimitation into practice. Nevertheless, the reference-based approach offers a promising framework for the consistent assessment of biodiversity within clades of organisms with similar life histories and ecological traits. 
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  3. Andrews, Tessa C. (Ed.)
    To investigate patterns of gender-based performance gaps, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished data collected across 169 undergraduate biology and chemistry courses. While we did not detect an overall gender gap in performance, heterogeneity analyses suggested further analysis was warranted, so we investigated whether attributes of the learning environment impacted performance disparities on the basis of gender. Several factors moderated performance differences, including class size, assessment type, and pedagogy. Specifically, we found evidence that larger classes, reliance on exams, and undisrupted, traditional lecture were associated with lower grades for women. We discuss our results in the context of natural science courses and conclude by making recommendations for instructional practices and future research to promote gender equity. 
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