Evidence of hybridization in the Argentinean lizards Liolaemus gracilis and Liolaemus bibronii (IGUANIA: LIOLAEMINI): An integrative approach based on genes and morphology

The lizard genus Liolaemus is endemic to temperate South America and includes more than 225 species. Liolaemus gracilis and L. bibronii are closely related species that have large and overlapping geographic distributions, and the objective of this work is to further investigate the L. bibronii-L. gr...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Olave, Melisa, Martínez, Lorena Elízabeth, Avila, Luciano Javier, Sites, Jack W., Morando, Mariana
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2011
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/82195
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/82195
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Introngression
Liolaemini
Mtdna
Nuclear Dna
Patagonia
Phylogeography
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:The lizard genus Liolaemus is endemic to temperate South America and includes more than 225 species. Liolaemus gracilis and L. bibronii are closely related species that have large and overlapping geographic distributions, and the objective of this work is to further investigate the L. bibronii-L. gracilis mtDNA paraphyletic pattern previously detected, using an integrative approach, based on mtDNA, nuclear DNA and morphological characters. We identified eight morphological L. bibronii introgressed with L. gracilis mtDNAs, and the reciprocal for one L. gracilis, from six localities in the region of sympatry overlap. The morphological identity of these introgressed individuals was confirmed by diagnostic nuclear markers, and this represents the first well-documented case of interspecific hybridization in the lizard genus Liolaemus. Of the three most likely hypotheses for these observed patterns, we suggest that asymmetrical mtDNA introgression as a result of recent or ongoing hybridization between L. bibronii and L. gracilis is the most likely. This may be due to size selection by L. gracilis female preference for the larger L. bibroni males in sympatry, but this requires experimental confirmation.