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cover of episode The Iguanas That Rafted To Fiji

The Iguanas That Rafted To Fiji

2025/4/1
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Short Wave
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C
Cristina de Jesus Villanueva
J
Jonathan Lambert
S
Simon Scarpetta
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Jonathan Lambert: 斐济鬣蜥的出现是一个谜，因为它们原产于美洲，而斐济距离美洲非常遥远，它们无法游这么远。一项新的研究表明，它们可能是通过漂浮的植物筏到达斐济的，这是已知最长的陆地动物跨洋迁移事件之一。关于斐济鬣蜥的起源，存在两种假设：一种是它们通过数百万年前存在的陆桥逐渐迁移；另一种是它们通过漂浮的植物筏迁移。基因组数据显示，斐济鬣蜥与美国西南部沙漠鬣蜥关系最为密切，这支持了它们通过植物筏迁移的假设。斐济鬣蜥与沙漠鬣蜥的亲缘关系和斐济岛屿形成的时间，都支持了植物筏迁移的假设，因为当时的陆桥并不存在。研究人员认为，在过去3000万年里，一群鬣蜥可能搭乘植物筏漂流到斐济。生物学家长期以来推测岛屿上的动物可能是通过漂浮到达的，并且有观察到动物通过漂浮植物筏迁移的案例。1995年的飓风后，研究人员观察到一群鬣蜥通过漂浮的植物筏从瓜德罗普岛迁移到安圭拉岛，证明了动物通过漂浮迁移的可能性。虽然研究人员认为植物筏迁移是最可能的解释，但他们并未完全排除其他可能性。斐济鬣蜥的迁移是动物适应性和韧性的一个例子，也展示了看似不可能的事件在漫长的进化过程中是如何发生的。 Simon Scarpetta: 斐济鬣蜥可能是通过漂浮的植物筏从美洲到达斐济的。 Cristina de Jesus Villanueva: 斐济鬣蜥通过植物筏迁移的发现令她感到惊讶，因为这似乎是最困难的迁移方式。

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Chapters
The mystery of Fijian iguanas' origin is explored, focusing on their improbable journey across the Pacific Ocean. Scientists investigate whether they traveled gradually via land bridges or through a more dramatic, long-distance rafting event.
  • Most iguanas are native to the Americas.
  • Fiji's location poses a significant challenge to iguana dispersal.
  • Two hypotheses exist: gradual travel via land bridges or a transoceanic rafting event.

Shownotes Transcript

Most iguanas are indigenous to the Americas. So how did the Fijian species end up on the island, nearly 5000 miles away in the South Pacific? According to a new study) in the journal PNAS, it was probably via raft ... that is, on clump of floating trees. And this rafting hypothesis isn't entirely unprecedented. After hurricanes Luis and Marilyn hit the Caribbean in the 1990s, researchers found that a group of iguanas had floated over 180 miles) away from Guadeloupe to the territory of Anguilla. *Want to hear more about iguanas? Or rafts? Or evolutionary biology? Email us at [email protected]).Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave).*Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)