Morphological and Genetic Divergence within the Phymaturus payuniae Clade (IGUANIA: LIOLAEMIDAE): Description of Two New Species

LOBO FERNANDO; BARRASSO DIEGO; HIBBARD THOMAS; QUIPILDOR MATIAS; SLODKI DEMIÁN; VALDECANTOS SOLEDAD; BASSO NESTOR

South American Journal of Herpetology

Brazilian Society of Herpetology

Año: 2021 vol. 20 p. 42 - 66

1808-9798

The Phymaturus payuniae clade is an endemic group of lizards inhabiting rocky outcrops of central 21 western Argentina. All recognized species are found in an endemism area called ?Payunia?. Recent studies using 22 morphological data and DNA markers found that the payuniae clade is formed by at least ten terminal taxa. In the 23 present study, we revisited the morphology of all previously considered terminals and analyzed two new 24 populations discovered in Neuquén province between 2005 and 2016. The revised character list allowed to score25 morphological characters for several taxa whose morphologies were unknown until this study. In the present 26 study we sequenced ND4 for three terminals (completing other sequences available for these taxa), and Cytb, 27 COI, 12S, and Cmos for one terminal (for which no DNA data had been reported yet). We then added these 28 sequences to the pre-existing DNA data bases of the genus. We estimated genetic distances for three 29 mitochondrial markers among all members of the clade and calculated the evolutionary lability of morphological30 characters for the whole patagonicus group. Variation of 26 continuous characters was analyzed with PCA for all 31 members of the payuniae clade and species of other clades of the patagonicus and palluma group. Additionally,32 we revised genital characters for all members of the group and included a description of the new taxa?s 33 hemipenial morphology. Considering the distribution of morphological characters among species, their genetic34 distances, different genital morphology and the phylogenetic structure inferred, we are able to support the 35 taxonomic status of all species of the group and add the formal description of two new members.