Studying avian diversification in the southern Neotropics with DNA barcodes

DARÍO A. LIJTMAER; CECILIA KOPUCHIAN; ANA S. BARREIRA; PILAR BENITES; KEVIN C. R.; KAZUYA NAOKI; MARÍA ISABEL GÓMEZ; PABLO L. TUBARO

Kunming

Congreso; Fifth International Barcode of Life Conference; 2013

Even though southern South America comprises a diverse array of environments, including areas with some of the highest rates of avian diversification, evolutionary patterns in this region have barely been studied. We used DNA barcodes from 3,425 specimens belonging to 730 species of Argentinean and Bolivian birds to analyze the patterns of diversification in this region and assess the role of various diversifying factors. Comparison with birds of the Nearctic, the Palearctic and lower latitudes of the Neotropics evidenced that diversification patterns in southern South America are complex, consistent with the influence of glacial cycles as well as other factors more typical of the Neotropical realm. Comparisons among different areas of southern South America showed that Patagonian and Andean species are younger and less variable than more tropical or widely distributed species, a pattern consistent with a more prominent role of glacial cycles in these areas. Finally, seven percent of the species showed high intraspecific variation, usually including deeply divergent lineages. The study of these cases with various algorithms permitted an initial assessment of the presence of evolutionary independent lineages. Further analyses will indicate whether these taxa include overlooked species, allowing a better understanding of avian diversity in this region.