Ocean View

The puzzling patterns of predators

Phylogenetic diversity, expressed as the sum of evolutionary times of divergence [in millions of years (Ma)] between co-occurring species, is largely tropical or subtropical for ectothermic sharks and teleost fish, cosmopolitan for mesotherms (excluding poles), and peaks in cold, temperate waters for endothermic mammals and birds. Spatial cells are 110 km × 110 km; cells lacking species are unshaded.<br />
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From Grady JM, Maitner BS, Winter AS, Kaschner K, Tittensor DP, Record S, Smith FA, Wilson AM, Dell AI, Zarnetske PL and Wearing HJ. 2019. Metabolic asymmetry and the global diversity of marine predators. Science, 25 Jan 2019, Vol 363, Issue 6425, eaat4220, DOI: 10.1126/science.aat4220. Reprinted with permission from The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).