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. 2013 Dec 18:(364):47-91.
doi: 10.3897/zookeys.364.6109.

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

César Aguilar  1 , Perry L Wood Jr  2 , Juan C Cusi  3 , Alfredo Guzmán  3 , Frank Huari  3 , Mikael Lundberg  3 , Emma Mortensen  2 , César Ramírez  3 , Daniel Robles  3 , Juana Suárez  3 , Andres Ticona  3 , Víctor J Vargas  4 , Pablo J Venegas  5 , Jack W Sites Jr  2
Affiliations

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

César Aguilar et al. Zookeys. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

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.

ResumenLos estudios sobre delimitación de especies basados en un enfoque integral han recibido considerable atención en los últimos años, y proveen las hipótesis más robustas sobre límites de especies. Usamos tres líneas de evidencia (molecular, morfológica y modelos de nichos) para evaluar los límites de especies entre poblaciones peruanas del complejo Liolaemus walkeri. Nuestros resultados muestran que las diferentes líneas de evidencia y análisis en diferentes combinaciones son congruentes en el descubrimiento no ambiguo de tres linajes que estuvieron confundidos con especies ya conocidas y que ahora merecen reconocimiento específico. Nuestro análisis filogenético muestra que L. walkeri, L. tacnae y las tres nuevas especies están bien distanciadas de las otras especies asignadas al grupo alticolor-bibronii. Pocos caracteres morfológicos convencionales distinguen las nuevas especies de otras estrechamente relacionadas, y esto indica la necesidad de integración de diferentes fuentes de datos para elaborar hipótesis más sólidas sobre límites entre especies. Se proporciona una clave taxonómica para las especies peruanas conocidas del subgénero Liolaemus.

Keywords: Liolaemus walkeri complex; integrative taxonomy; new species; viviparity.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Concatenated maximum likelihood (-Log L = 8452.31415) tree based on cyt-b and 12S haplotypes of focal taxa (Ancash, Ayacucho Cusco) and species assigned to the alticolor group and outgroups. Bootstrap ≥ 70 (*) and posterior probabilities values are shown above and below branches respectively.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Detailed view of the cloaca region showing absence (A, D) or presence (B, C, E) of precloacal pores: A Ancash B Ayacucho C Cusco D Liolaemus tacnae and E Liolaemus walkeri.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Ventral view showing the color patterns of the belly and tail: A Ancash B Ayacucho C Cusco D Liolaemus tacnae and E Liolaemus walkeri.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Lateral view showing the color patterns of A Ayacucho B Cusco, and C Liolaemus walkeri.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
First and second principal components (PC) and correspondence axes (CA) of morphometric (A) and meristic (B) data of Ancash, Ayacucho, Cusco, Liolaemus tacnae and Liolaemus walkeri respectively.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Predicted area and known geographic distribution (A) used to develop distributional models of Ancash (B) Ayacucho (C) Cusco (D) Liolaemus tacnae (E) and Liolaemus walkeri (F).
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Receiver operating characteristic curves and AUC values for A Ancash B Ayacucho C Cusco D Liolaemus tacnae and E Liolaemus walkeri.
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Dorsal (A) and ventral (B) views of the holotype of Liolaemus chavin sp. n. (C) Type locality.
Figure 9.
Figure 9.
Lateral (A) dorsal (B) and ventral (C) views of the holotype of Liolaemus pachacutec sp. n. (D) Habitat of Liolaemus pachacutec
Figure 10.
Figure 10.
Lateral (A) dorsal (B) and ventral (C) views of the holotype of Liolaemus wari sp. n. (D) Type locality.
Figure 11.
Figure 11.
Geographic distribution of Liolaemus chavin, Liolaemus pachacutec, Liolaemus tacnae, Liolaemus walkeri, and Liolaemus wari.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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