Adriaan Jordaan

@iziko.org.za

Herpetologist in the Department of Terrestrial Vertebrates
Iziko South African Museum

Adriaan Jordaan


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https://researchid.co/shen_vyf

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Ecology, Ecological Modeling, Nature and Landscape Conservation, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
13

Scopus Publications

94

Scholar Citations

6

Scholar h-index

4

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

  • Diversification of the African legless skinks in the subfamily Acontinae (Family Scincidae)
    Zhongning Zhao, Werner Conradie, Darren W. Pietersen, Adriaan Jordaan, Gary Nicolau, et al.
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2023
  • Extensions to the Known Geographic Distributions of Reptiles in the Great Karoo, South Africa
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 2022
  • Pseudocongruent phylogeography reflects unique responses to environmental perturbations in a biodiversity hotspot
    Theo Busschau, Adriaan Jordaan, Werner Conradie, Savel R. Daniels
    Journal of Biogeography, 2022
    AimComparative phylogeographic studies provide important insights into the biogeographic processes shaping regional patterns of diversity. Yet, comparative studies are lacking for southern African herpetofauna, despite their high diversity. We statistically compare phylogeographic structure and divergence‐time estimates among five co‐distributed forest‐living herpetofaunal taxa to assess rivers, climatic refugia and climatic gradients as congruent drivers of phylogeographic diversity.LocationMaputoland‐Pondoland‐Albany biodiversity hotspot, Southern Africa.Taxonherpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians).MethodsPhylogeographic structure and divergence‐times within species were estimated from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. Phylogeographic concordance factors were used to estimate the degree of phylogeographic congruence among sympatric localities. Full‐likelihood Bayesian comparisons were used to estimate synchronous divergence between phylogeographic regions and across a putative river barrier. Palaeoclimatic niche models were compared among taxa to identify congruent climatic refugia. Nonparametric statistics were used to identify climatic differences between regions and among populations within each species. Finally, redundancy analyses were used to assess geographic distance, climate and the putative river barrier as explanatory variables to genetic diversity.ResultsThere is comprehensive phylogeographic structuring within each species, comprising distinct northerly and southerly clades. Phylogeographic concordance factors generally support co‐diversification in a north/south axis. Yet, analyses of the divergence‐time estimates through the Mio/Plio/Pleistocene indicate asynchronous phylogeographic histories. Climatic niche models identified idiosyncratic responses to palaeoclimatic change. Climatic variables are significantly different among populations in all species and correlated with latitude. A combined model of distance, climate and rivers explained the greatest proportion of genetical diversity in most taxa, of which climate explained the highest variance.Main ConclusionsAncient and recent species‐specific responses to climatic and geological processes resulted in pseudo congruent phylogeographic histories among the five co‐distributed species. The presence of a congruent north/south pattern in multiple taxonomic groups occupying different forested microhabitats, from fossorial to arboreal, supports latitudinal gradients as global drivers of phylogeographic diversity along the east coast of South Africa.
  • Tropidosaura essexi Hewitt, 1927 (Reptilia: Lacertidae) is live bearing: the only viviparous African lacertid
    Gary K Nicolau, Emily A Jackson, Adriaan Jordaan, Graham J Alexander
    African Journal of Herpetology, 2022
  • Topography-derived variables provide insight into habitat occupancy of a cryptic snake, Bitis atropos
    Adriaan Jordaan, Neil J. L. Heideman, Falko T. Buschke
    Austral Ecology, 2021
    Understanding species’ habitat use is fundamental for conservation and management. However, quantifying habitat use for small cryptic species is limited by imperfect detection during field surveys and the lack of habitat data at meaningful spatial scales. Topographically‐derived habitat variables from digital elevation models (DEMs) have the potential to overcome these limitations. Here we used DEM‐derived topographic variables as fine‐scale proxies for abiotic conditions to study site‐occupancy patterns of the berg adder (Bitis atropos), a small‐bodied cryptic viper. We carried out seven repeated field surveys across 219 hectares in a mountainous protected area in north‐eastern South Africa to estimate snake detection probability and occupancy using maximum likelihood methods. Although snakes occurred across a third of the surveyed habitat, they were only detected 40% of the time during the springtime when detection was highest. Results showed that these snakes preferred north‐west facing, mid and upper slopes, which are exposed to afternoon sun and presumably higher ambient energy. Our results demonstrate the value of using DEM‐derived topographic variables for ecological studies where habitat data are either unavailable or inappropriate, thereby providing valuable insights into habitat use of cryptic and difficult to detect species.
  • Correction to: Climatic and topographic changes since the Miocene influenced the diversification and biogeography of the tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius) species complex in Southern Africa (BMC Evolutionary Biology, (2020), 20, 1, (153), 10.1186/s12862-020-01717-1)
    Zhongning Zhao, Neil Heideman, Phillip Bester, Adriaan Jordaan, Margaretha D. Hofmeyr
    BMC Ecology and Evolution, 2021
  • Climatic and topographic changes since the Miocene influenced the diversification and biogeography of the tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius) species complex in Southern Africa
    Zhongning Zhao, Neil Heideman, Phillip Bester, Adriaan Jordaan, Margaretha D. Hofmeyr
    BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2020
    Background Climatic and topographic changes function as key drivers in shaping genetic structure and cladogenic radiation in many organisms. Southern Africa has an exceptionally diverse tortoise fauna, harbouring one-third of the world’s tortoise genera. The distribution of Psammobates tentorius (Kuhl, 1820) covers two of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world, the Succulent Karoo and Cape Floristic Region. The highly diverged P. tentorius represents an excellent model species for exploring biogeographic and radiation patterns of reptiles in Southern Africa. Results We investigated genetic structure and radiation patterns against temporal and spatial dimensions since the Miocene in the Psammobates tentorius species complex, using multiple types of DNA markers and niche modelling analyses. Cladogenesis in P. tentorius started in the late Miocene (11.63–5.33 Ma) when populations dispersed from north to south to form two geographically isolated groups. The northern group diverged into a clade north of the Orange River (OR), followed by the splitting of the group south of the OR into a western and an interior clade. The latter divergence corresponded to the intensification of the cold Benguela current, which caused western aridification and rainfall seasonality. In the south, tectonic uplift and subsequent exhumation, together with climatic fluctuations seemed responsible for radiations among the four southern clades since the late Miocene. We found that each clade occurred in a habitat shaped by different climatic parameters, and that the niches differed substantially among the clades of the northern group but were similar among clades of the southern group. Conclusion Climatic shifts, and biome and geographic changes were possibly the three major driving forces shaping cladogenesis and genetic structure in Southern African tortoise species. Our results revealed that the cladogenesis of the P. tentorius species complex was probably shaped by environmental cooling, biome shifts and topographic uplift in Southern Africa since the late Miocene. The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) may have impacted the distribution of P. tentorius substantially. We found the taxonomic diversify of the P. tentorius species complex to be highest in the Greater Cape Floristic Region. All seven clades discovered warrant conservation attention, particularly Ptt-B–Ptr, Ptt-A and Pv-A.
  • Comparative analysis of the eye anatomy in fossorial and surface-living skink species (Reptilia: Scincidae), with special reference to the structure of the retina
    Zhongning Zhao, Jacqueline Goedhals, Joaquín Verdú‐Ricoy, Adriaan Jordaan, Neil Heideman
    Acta Zoologica, 2020
    We compared the eye anatomy of the scotopic fossorial Acontias orientalis, Acontias rieppeli and Typhlosaurus vermis with that of the photopic surface‐living Trachylepis punctatissima, with particular reference to the retina. The findings were compared with published data on gecko species (Röll, 2001), to determine whether similar trends existed. The vestigial eye of T. vermis was not comparable with that of the other three skink species. The findings in A. orientalis, A. rieppeli and T. punctatissima were as follows: (a) A. rieppeli lacked a conus papillaris, (b) A. orientalis, A. rieppeli and T. punctatissima were pure‐cone species but lacked a fovea, (c) estimated cone density in A. orientalis and A. rieppeli was lower than that in T. punctatissima, (d) the ellipsoid cone segment was smaller and the paraboloid segment larger in A. orientalis and A. rieppeli with the reverse in T. punctatissima, (e) VCL%, ONL%, OPL% and GCL% in A. orientalis and A. rieppeli were significantly greater than that of T. punctatissima, (f) INL% and IPL% in T. punctatissima was significantly greater, and (g) T. punctatissima had abundant Müller cells and fibres. Findings in the gecko species were congruent with those of the three skink species of the present study.
  • Unraveling the diversification and systematic puzzle of the highly polymorphic Psammobates tentorius (Bell, 1828) complex (Reptilia: Testudinidae) through phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation approaches
    Zhongning Zhao, Neil Heideman, Paul Grobler, Adriaan Jordaan, Phillip Bester, et al.
    Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 2020
  • Does nucras livida (Squamata: Lacertidae) occur along the west coast of south africa? a review of historical and recently collected material
    Herpetology Notes, 2020
  • Unexpected phylogenetic relationships within the world's largest limbless skink species (Acontias plumbeus) highlight the need for a review of the taxonomic status of Acontias poecilus
    Zhongning Zhao, Joaquín Verdú‐Ricoy, Setjhaba Mohlakoana, Adriaan Jordaan, Werner Conradie, et al.
    Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 2019
  • A comparative analysis of testicular sperm morphology in fossorial and surface-living skinks in South Africa
    Joaquín Verdú‐Ricoy, Tankiso Matla, Michael Gregory, Angelo Lambiris, Adriaan Jordaan, et al.
    Acta Zoologica, 2019
  • Unmasking evolutionary diversity among two closely related South African legless skink species (Acontinae: Acontias) using molecular data
    Theo Busschau, Werner Conradie, Adriaan Jordaan, Savel R. Daniels
    Zoology, 2017

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Two New Species of Pachydactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Kaokoveld
    D Parrinha, MP Marques, AM Picelli, A Jordaan, LJ Bishop-Schouster, ...
    Ichthyology & Herpetology 113 (3), 412-432 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 2
  • Diversification of the African legless skinks in the subfamily Acontinae (Family Scincidae)
    Z Zhao, W Conradie, DW Pietersen, A Jordaan, G Nicolau, S Edwards, ...
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 182, 107747 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 8
  • Tropidosaura essexi Hewitt, 1927 (Reptilia: Lacertidae) is live bearing: the only viviparous African lacertid
    GK Nicolau, EA Jackson, A Jordaan, GJ Alexander
    African Journal of Herpetology 71 (2), 194-200 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 1
  • Extensions to the known geographic distributions of reptiles in the Great Karoo, South Africa
    NS Telford, GJ Alexander, FS Becker, W Conradie, A Jordaan, L Kemp, ...
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 17 (1), 145-154 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 10
  • Pseudocongruent phylogeography reflects unique responses to environmental perturbations in a biodiversity hotspot
    T Busschau, A Jordaan, W Conradie, SR Daniels
    Journal of Biogeography 49 (3), 445-459 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 6
  • Topography‐derived variables provide insight into habitat occupancy of a cryptic snake, Bitis atropos
    A Jordaan, NJL Heideman, FT Buschke
    Austral Ecology 46 (8), 1287-1297 , 2021
    2021
    Citations: 5
  • Climatic and topographic changes since the Miocene influenced the diversification and biogeography of the tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius) species complex in Southern Africa
    Z Zhao, N Heideman, P Bester, A Jordaan, MD Hofmeyr
    BMC Evolutionary Biology 20 (153) , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 18
  • Unraveling the diversification and systematic puzzle of the highly polymorphic Psammobates tentorius (Bell, 1828) complex (Reptilia: Testudinidae) through …
    Z Zhao, N Heideman, P Grobler, A Jordaan, P Bester, MD Hofmeyr
    Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 58 (1), 308-326 , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 11
  • Does Nucras livida (Squamata: Lacertidae) occur along the West Coast of South Africa? A review of historical and recently collected material
    W Conradie, T Busschau, A Jordaan
    Herpetology Notes 13, 19-24 , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 1
  • FILLING THE GAPS: PRIORITY AREAS FOR HERPETOFAUNAL SURVEYS IN THE NORTHERN CAPE.
    JC Steenkamp, B Wilson, A Jordaan
    African Herp News , 2019
    2019
  • YOU'VE MISSED A SPOT: THE KAROO BIOGAPS PROJECT FROM A HERPETOLOGY PERSPECTIVE.
    JM Taft, GJ Alexander, F Becker, W Conradie, JM da Silva, A Jordaan, ...
    African Herp News , 2019
    2019
  • INVESTIGATING THE HERPETOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF THE KAROO-A REPORT FROM THE BIOGAPS PROJECT.
    J Weeber, G Alexander, MF Bates, F Becker, JM da Silva, A Jordaan, ...
    African Herp News , 2019
    2019
  • Geographic distribution and habitat selection in the berg adder, Bitis atropos (serpentes, viperidae) on the Mpumalanga escarpment, and the consequences for conservation
    A Jordaan
    University of the Free State , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 1
  • Comparative analysis of the eye anatomy in fossorial and surfaceliving skink species (Reptilia: Scincidae), with special reference to the structure of the retina
    Z Zhao, J Goedhals, J Verdú‐Ricoy, A Jordaan, NJL Heideman
    Acta Zoologica , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 9
  • Unexpected phylogenetic relationships within the world's largest limbless skink species (Acontias plumbeus) highlight the need for a review of the taxonomic status of Acontias …
    Z Zhao, J Verdú‐Ricoy, S Mohlakoana, A Jordaan, W Conradie, ...
    Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 6
  • A comparative analysis of testicular sperm morphology in fossorial and surface-living skinks in South Africa
    Joaquín Verdú-Ricoy, Tankiso Matla, Michael Gregory, Angelo Lambiris ...
    Acta Zoologica , 2018
    2018
  • Unmasking evolutionary diversity among two closely related South African legless skink species (Acontinae: Acontias) using molecular data
    T Busschau, W Conradie, A Jordaan, SR Daniels
    Zoology 121, 72-82 , 2017
    2017
    Citations: 16

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Climatic and topographic changes since the Miocene influenced the diversification and biogeography of the tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius) species complex in Southern Africa
    Z Zhao, N Heideman, P Bester, A Jordaan, MD Hofmeyr
    BMC Evolutionary Biology 20 (153) , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 18
  • Unmasking evolutionary diversity among two closely related South African legless skink species (Acontinae: Acontias) using molecular data
    T Busschau, W Conradie, A Jordaan, SR Daniels
    Zoology 121, 72-82 , 2017
    2017
    Citations: 16
  • Unraveling the diversification and systematic puzzle of the highly polymorphic Psammobates tentorius (Bell, 1828) complex (Reptilia: Testudinidae) through …
    Z Zhao, N Heideman, P Grobler, A Jordaan, P Bester, MD Hofmeyr
    Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 58 (1), 308-326 , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 11
  • Extensions to the known geographic distributions of reptiles in the Great Karoo, South Africa
    NS Telford, GJ Alexander, FS Becker, W Conradie, A Jordaan, L Kemp, ...
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 17 (1), 145-154 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 10
  • Comparative analysis of the eye anatomy in fossorial and surfaceliving skink species (Reptilia: Scincidae), with special reference to the structure of the retina
    Z Zhao, J Goedhals, J Verdú‐Ricoy, A Jordaan, NJL Heideman
    Acta Zoologica , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 9
  • Diversification of the African legless skinks in the subfamily Acontinae (Family Scincidae)
    Z Zhao, W Conradie, DW Pietersen, A Jordaan, G Nicolau, S Edwards, ...
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 182, 107747 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 8
  • Pseudocongruent phylogeography reflects unique responses to environmental perturbations in a biodiversity hotspot
    T Busschau, A Jordaan, W Conradie, SR Daniels
    Journal of Biogeography 49 (3), 445-459 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 6
  • Unexpected phylogenetic relationships within the world's largest limbless skink species (Acontias plumbeus) highlight the need for a review of the taxonomic status of Acontias …
    Z Zhao, J Verdú‐Ricoy, S Mohlakoana, A Jordaan, W Conradie, ...
    Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 6
  • Topography‐derived variables provide insight into habitat occupancy of a cryptic snake, Bitis atropos
    A Jordaan, NJL Heideman, FT Buschke
    Austral Ecology 46 (8), 1287-1297 , 2021
    2021
    Citations: 5
  • Two New Species of Pachydactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Kaokoveld
    D Parrinha, MP Marques, AM Picelli, A Jordaan, LJ Bishop-Schouster, ...
    Ichthyology & Herpetology 113 (3), 412-432 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 2
  • Tropidosaura essexi Hewitt, 1927 (Reptilia: Lacertidae) is live bearing: the only viviparous African lacertid
    GK Nicolau, EA Jackson, A Jordaan, GJ Alexander
    African Journal of Herpetology 71 (2), 194-200 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 1
  • Does Nucras livida (Squamata: Lacertidae) occur along the West Coast of South Africa? A review of historical and recently collected material
    W Conradie, T Busschau, A Jordaan
    Herpetology Notes 13, 19-24 , 2020
    2020
    Citations: 1
  • Geographic distribution and habitat selection in the berg adder, Bitis atropos (serpentes, viperidae) on the Mpumalanga escarpment, and the consequences for conservation
    A Jordaan
    University of the Free State , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 1
  • FILLING THE GAPS: PRIORITY AREAS FOR HERPETOFAUNAL SURVEYS IN THE NORTHERN CAPE.
    JC Steenkamp, B Wilson, A Jordaan
    African Herp News , 2019
    2019
  • YOU'VE MISSED A SPOT: THE KAROO BIOGAPS PROJECT FROM A HERPETOLOGY PERSPECTIVE.
    JM Taft, GJ Alexander, F Becker, W Conradie, JM da Silva, A Jordaan, ...
    African Herp News , 2019
    2019
  • INVESTIGATING THE HERPETOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF THE KAROO-A REPORT FROM THE BIOGAPS PROJECT.
    J Weeber, G Alexander, MF Bates, F Becker, JM da Silva, A Jordaan, ...
    African Herp News , 2019
    2019
  • A comparative analysis of testicular sperm morphology in fossorial and surface-living skinks in South Africa
    Joaquín Verdú-Ricoy, Tankiso Matla, Michael Gregory, Angelo Lambiris ...
    Acta Zoologica , 2018
    2018