Costa Rican biogeography

[Bjarte H. Jordal]

Dear netters,

For those of you that are working on taxa distributed in Central America.
As you know, there are several mountain ranges that split north-western
Panama and Costa Rica into Pacific an Caribbean areas, respectively. The
scolytid genus that I am currently working on, clearly reveals multiple
sistergroup relationships in that area. That is, a western taxon is the
closest relative of an eastern or highland taxon. These are related to
Panamanian or Venezuelan/Columbian taxa etc.

Have any of you experienced similar patterns in the taxa you are working on?

A species found at Isla del Coco (Costa Rica) has its closest relative
from Peninsula de Osa area in Costa Rica. Have any endemic taxa hitherto
known  from Isla del Coco, been found to have similar relationships as
indicated here?

Thanks,

Bjarte Jordal
Institute of Zoology
Univ. Bergen, NORWAY