On the southernmost leiosaurid lizards: phylogeographic and evolutionary patterns of Leiosaurus belli, Diplolaemus bibronii and Diplolaemus darwinii based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene.

FEMENÍAS, M.; AVILA, L.J.; SITES, J. W. JR.; MORANDO, M.

New Orleans

Congreso; Joint Meeting of Ichtyologists and Herpetologists; 2016

Southeastern Lousiana University

The Leiosaurae species Liosaurus belli, Diplolaemus bibronii and Diplolaemus darwinii are endemic of southern South America and are distributed over diverse habitats in the ecoregions of Monte and Patagonian Steppe. We samples 124 localities representing all the distributional range of these species, and for 187 individuals we sequenced the mitochondrial gene cyt-b. We analyzed phylogeographic patterns in the light of historical Miocen-to-Pleistocene events of Patagonia. For Leiosaurus belli we inferred 3 allopatric haploclades with uncorrected genetic distances higher than 3%, suggestion that they may be different species. These divergences may have been related to the formation of the Negro, Neuquén and Limay rivers as they have been propose as gene flow barriers for other lizar species. The northernmost populations show signs of recent expansion. Diplolaemus darwinii and D. bibronii have a southern Patagonia distribution and the latter shows signs of recent population expansion with no apparent role for the Deseado river on their genetic structure. The results of this study, coupled with those of other lizard species from this area, may be useful to define conservation strategies. We suggest a taxonomic review of Leiosaurus belli, including more molecular markers and integrating morphological, ecological and behavioral data.