Speciation in Myrmoborus antbirds

The Amazon Basin is a major biodiversity hotspot - and just exactly how it came to be one is under much speculation. One hypothesis is known as the "Riverine Barrier Hypothesis" which states that the many large rivers within the Amazon Basin naturally separate individuals, leading to rapid diversification. Using a wide-ranging Amazonian antbird, I examined population-level relationships across these large tributaries to examine if these rivers truly act as genetic barriers.