Biological diversity is not evenly distributed around the globe. Understanding the causes of high endemicity and diversity, as well as the maintenance of that diversity, is crucial for effective conservation management strategies. My main research line focuses on understanding aspects of history and geography that can shape the evolution and distribution of insular (isolated) lineages, both in recent and ancient timescales, in places such as the sky islands (“Lost World”) of Venezuela, and the Channel Islands of California. Are Lost World summit frogs isolated by the most drastic landscape on earth, or connected despite of it? Are the Channel Islands of California acting as an archipelago and reservoir for mainland lineages, or is each island hosting uniquely evolving lineages despite their close proximity?