THERYA, 2019, Vol. 10 (3): 213-228 DOI: 10.12933/therya-19-873 ISSN 2007-3364 Insights into the evolutionary and demographic history of the extant endemic rodents of the Galápagos Islands SUSETTE CASTAÑEDA-RICO1, 2, 3*, SARAH A. JOHNSON2, 5, SCOTT A. CLEMENT4, ROBERT C. DOWLER4, JESÚS E. MALDONADO1, 2, AND CODY W. EDWARDS2, 3 1 Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, U.S.A. Email:
[email protected] [email protected] (SCR),
[email protected] (JEM). 2 George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, U.S.A. Email:
[email protected] (SAJ),
[email protected] (CWE). 3 Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, Front Royal, VA 22630, U.S.A. 4 Angelo State University, Department of Biology, San Angelo, TX 76909, U.S.A. Email:
[email protected] (SAC), robert.
[email protected] (RCD). 5 Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) 12100 Park 35 Circle, Mail Code 148, Austin, TX 78753, USA. *Corresponding author Evolutionary radiations stemming from colonization of archipelagos provide valuable insights into mechanisms and modes of speciation. For this reason, the fauna inhabiting the Galápagos Islands has been the focus of numerous emblematic ecological and evolutionary studies. However, studies focused on rodents have been scarce. Rice rats radiated in situ into at least six endemic species: Aegialomys galapagoensis, Nesoryzomys narboroughi, N. swarthi, N. fernandinae, N. indefessus, and N. darwini. Only the first four species remain extant on the archipelago. These species are considered vulnerable, mainly due to human activities and invasive species. Despite their interesting evolutionary history, questions surrounding phylogenetic relationships, colonization events, genetic diversity and demography of populations remain unresolved.