INVESTIGADORES
AVILA luciano Javier
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Phylogeographic study of the elongatus complex (Iguania: Liolaemini) based on mitOchondrial cytochrome B gene sequences
Autor/es:
MEDINA, C.D.; AVILA, L.J.; SITES, J.W., JR.; MORANDO, M.
Reunión:
Congreso; IX Congreso Latinoamericano de Herpetologia; 2011
Institución organizadora:
Sociedade Brasileira de Herpetologia
Resumen:
The genus Liolaemus is the most diverse lizard group of South America with over 220 described species. Two major groups are recognized within Liolaemus, Eulaemus and Liolaemus sensu stricto. Within the latter, several clades and species complexes have been proposed, one of which is the elongatus complex. This complex includes seven described species mainly distributed in the Patagonian region. Liolaemus elongatus includes populations from the Río Deseado, Santa Cruz Province, to the Río Atuel in Mendoza Province, most of them with unclear taxonomic status. A previous molecular study in 2003, proposed three candidate species within this complex: Liolaemus sp. 5, Liolaemus sp. 6 and Liolaemus sp. 7. Recent morphometric studies have shown different degrees of variability within and among these populations. The aim of this work is to present an extended elongatus complex phylogeographic study, including intensive population sampling throughout its range. We used 530 individuals from 104 localities, for which we sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. We recovered 12 well-supported clades, two of which correspond to new species (descriptions in progress) and two to candidate species, based on their levels of genetic differentiation and isolation from other populations. The most genetically diverse clade is L. elongatus north, and the less diverse is L. sp. nov. 1 (description in progress). Demographic analyses show evidence of range expansion in the southern populations, and more long term stability in the northern populations. In Neuquén province we find evidence of deeply fragmented populations. We discuss these results within geographical, demographic and evolutionary contexts.