Integrative taxonomy and preliminary assessment of species limits in the Liolaemus walkeri complex (Squamata, Liolaemidae) with descriptions of three new species from Peru

By

Aguilar, Cesar
Wood, Perry L., Jr.
Cusi, Juan Carlos
Guzman, Alfredo
Huari, Frank
Lundberg, Mikael
Mortensen, Emma
Ramirez, César
Robles, Daniel
Suarez, Juana
Ticona, Andres
Vargas, Victor
Venegas, Pablo J.
Sites, Jack W. Jr.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2013

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

364

Pages

47-91

Subjects

integrative taxonomy , Liolaemus walkeri complex , new species , viviparity

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.364.6109

 

Abstract

Species delimitation studies based on integrative taxonomic approaches have received considerable attention in the last few years, and have provided the strongest hypotheses of species boundaries. We used three lines of evidence (molecular, morphological, and niche envelopes) to test for species boundaries in Peruvian populations of the Liolaemus walkeri complex. Our results show that different lines of evidence and analyses are congruent in different combinations, for unambiguous delimitation of three lineages that were “hidden” within known species, and now deserve species status. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that L. walkeri, L. tacnae and the three new species are strongly separated from other species assigned to the alticolor-bibronii group. Few conventional morphological characters distinguish the new species from closely related taxa and this highlights the need to integrate other sources of data to erect strong hypothesis of species limits. A taxonomic key for known Peruvian species of the subgenus Lioalemus is provided.