Hybridization poses a major challenge for species conservation because it threatens both genetic integrity and adaptive potential. Yet, hybridization can occasionally offer unprecedented opportunity for species recovery if the genome of an extinct taxon is present among living hybrids such that selective breeding could recapture it. We explored the design elements for establishing a captive‐breeding program for Galapagos torto...

Although many classic radiations on islands are thought to be the result of repeated lineage splitting, the role of past fusion is rarely known because during these events, purebreds are rapidly replaced by a swarm of admixed individuals. Here, we capture lineage fusion in action in a Galápagos giant tortoise species, Chelonoidis becki , from Wolf Volcano (Isabela Island). The long generation time of Galápagos tortoises and de...

Aim We re‐examine the biogeography of the leaf‐toed geckos ( Phyllodactylus ) endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Our aim was to (1) test the multiple‐colonization hypothesis against the single‐colonization scenario proposed for most terrestrial organisms in the archipelago, (2) estimate the age of colonization of Phyllodactylus , and (3) evaluate the roles of dispersal and vicariance in the evolution of these lizards. Location...

Loss of key plant–animal interactions (e.g., disturbance, seed dispersal, and herbivory) due to extinctions of large herbivores has diminished ecosystem functioning nearly worldwide. Mitigating for the ecological consequences of large herbivore losses through the use of ecological replacements to fill extinct species’ niches and thereby replicate missing ecological functions has been proposed. It is unknown how different morph...

The Galápagos land iguanas (genus Conolophus ) have faced significant anthropogenic disturbances since the 17th century, leading to severe reduction of some populations and the extinction of others. Conservation activities, including the repatriation of captive‐bred animals to depleted areas, have been ongoing since the late 1970s, but genetic information has not been extensively incorporated. Here we use nine species‐specific...