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

QUINTEROS S.; RUIZ MONACHESI M.; ABDALA C. S

ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2020 p. 315 - 348

0024-4082

We redescribe Liolaemus bibronii and describe three new species of Liolaemus, a genus of lizards which are distributed in South America. Inside the genus, the species belong to the L. alticolor-bibronii group, included in the Liolaemus sensu stricto subgenus. Liolaemus bibronii was previously proposed as a species complex. Along the years, many populations initially assigned to it were described as valid species. The three new species described here were populations denominated under L. bibronii. In order to describe the new species, we apply an integrative approach including molecular and morphological evidence. Also, we perform phylogenetic analyses applying Parsimony and Bayesian Inference. The three new species described show a set of character states which allow us to distinguish them from L. bibronii, each other, and from all other species of Liolaemus. Our phylogenies show that the new species are more related to other species than to L. bibronii. With this study, we are closer to solve the taxonomic puzzle which L. bibronii represents.