Solving the Liolaemus bibronii puzzle, an integrative taxonomy approach: redescription of L. bibronii and description of three new species (Iguania: Liolaemidae)

QUINTEROS, A S; RUIZ-MONACHESI, M R; ABDALA, C S

ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2020 p. 1 - 34

0024-4082

We redescribe Liolaemus bibronii and describe three new species of Liolaemus, a genus of lizards distributed acrossSouth America. These species belong to the L. alticolor?bibronii group, which are included in the subgenus Liolaemuss.s. Liolaemus bibronii was previously proposed as a species complex, but many populations initially assigned tothis complex were described as valid species. The three new species described here were populations denominatedunder L. bibronii. In order to validate the new species, we apply an integrative approach, including molecular andmorphological evidence. Also, we perform phylogenetic analyses applying parsimony and Bayesian inference. Thethree new species described here show a set of character states that allow them to be distinguished from L. bibronii,from each other and from all other species of Liolaemus. Our phylogenies show that the newly described species aremore related to other species than to L. bibronii. With this study, we are closer to solving the taxonomic puzzle thatL. bibronii represents.