A new species of lizard endemic to sierra de fiambalá, northwestern argentina (Iguania: Liolaemidae: Phymaturus). integrated taxonomy using morphology and DNA sequences: Reporting variation within the antofagastensis lineage

The northernmost distributed group of lizards belonging to Phymaturus occurs in rocky outcrops of the Puna region between 3600-4200 m in Argentina. In a recent phylogenetic study based on morphological and genetic information, the monophyly of this small lineage was corroborated. This group is formed by Phymaturus antofagastensis, P. laurenti, P. denotatus, P. mallimaccii and a population of uncertain taxonomic status until the present study. After obtaining new samples and observations, we described a new species belonging to this lineage that is known only from Sierra de Fiambalá, being the species of Phymaturus living at the highest elevation ever recorded (4500 m). Males have a homogeneous yellow dorsum and lack melanic coloration over their heads, a phenomenon found in males of most species of the palluma group. We provide a detailed diagnosis, including characters from the squamation, coloration and significant differences found among continuous characters (ANOVA). Furthermore, we present genetic distances among members of the mallimaccii subclade based on sequences of the cytb marker. We provide color photos showing pattern variation of males and females. We reanalyze the phylogenetic relationships within the entire palluma group and update info on all members of the antofagastensis lineage based on new samples and make a better supported hypothesis. We also evaluate the phylogenetic position of the new taxon.Fil: Lobo Gaviola, Fernando Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Hibbard, Thomas Nathaniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Quipildor, Angel Matías. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Valdecantos, Maria Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentin

On the evolution and diversification of an Andean clade of reptiles: combining morphology and DNA sequences of the palluma group (Liolaemidae: Phymaturus)

Phymaturus comprises 44 species mainly distributed along the south-west of South America on both sides of the Andes. In this study we present a phylogenetic analysis of Phymaturus of the palluma group, one of its two large clades, including almost all described species. This analysis duplicates the number of in-group taxa compared with previous contributions. We performed a total-evidence analysis, combining molecular and morphological characters: sequencing fragments of cytochome b (cytb), 12S, and ND4, for all terminals; describing 45 new morphological characters; and incorporating all DNA sequences available from GenBank. Separate analyses of morphology and DNA partitions are presented and discussed in detail. Seven subclades are recognized here. We named three new subclades and redefined another, found to be paraphyletic. In order to recognize lineages within the traditional Phymaturus palluma group we proposed to treat it as a natural group, containing within it the ranks of clade, subclade, and lineages, respectively. The palluma group is composed by the vociferator and the bibronii clades. The vociferator clade, composed of Chilean and Argentinean species, would be the most basal in the group. Within the bibronii clade, the roigorum subclade includes the Phymaturus verdugo lineage, whereas the mallimaccii subclade would consist of 13 terminal taxa, for which three Chilean species have been added. In this study, morphological apomorphies are identified for all clades and the evolution of ‘male head melanism’ is discussed.Fil: Lobo Gaviola, Fernando Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del Noroeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Barrasso, Diego Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolucion Austral; ArgentinaFil: Hibbard, Thomas Nathaniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del Noroeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Basso, Nestor Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolucion Austral; Argentin

Male genitalia's evolutionary rate is higher than those of body traits: the case of two Liolaemus lizards' group

Different studies suggest that reproductive characters evolve faster than non-reproductive characters. Males in the order Squamata have paired copulatory organs called hemipenes, with high morphological diversity, including differences in size, shape, and ornamentation. Some studies in the species-rich lizard genus, Anolis suggest that genital traits evolve faster than the rest of the body. However, these studies were made considering only a few traits, across a wide phylogeny, without considering species relatedness, which may inflate differences in evolutionary rates. Here, we study two phylogenetic distantly related lizard groups, which differ in the number of species, but have similar divergence times. We evaluate as follows: (1) evolutionary rate, models of evolution and phylogenetic signal among the different genital and non-genital traits; (2) which kind of traits (genital and non-genital) are divergent across sister species and (3) whether the species-rich group shows a faster rate of trait change. We studied 24 Liolaemus lizard species, belonging to two monophyletic groups that differ in species number: L. elongatus’ clade, which has more species than L. lineomaculatus’ clade. We studied 20 different traits (9 genital and 11 non-genital) and calculated their phylogenetic signal, evolutionary rate of change and models that best explain the evolutionary change. Our results show that: (1) in general, genital traits evolve faster than non-genital ones in both groups, and both phylogenetic signal and best evolutionary model vary depending on the trait. (2) Genital traits diverged more among sister species within the L. lineomaculatus group, but within the L. elongatus group, both sets of traits show similar degrees of divergence. Finally, (3) the species-rich group (L. elongatus), has the highest genital evolutionary rate but also the highest non-genital evolutionary rate.Fil: Quipildor, Angel Matías. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz Monachesi, Mario Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, María Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Hibbard, Thomas Nathaniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Valdecantos, Maria Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Cátedra de Anatomia Comparada; ArgentinaFil: Lobo Gaviola, Fernando Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Cátedra de Anatomia Comparada; Argentin

Unlocking the Climate Record Stored within Mars’ Polar Layered Deposits

In the icy beds of its polar layered deposits (PLD), Mars likely possesses a record of its recent climate history, analogous to terrestrial ice sheets that contain records of Earth's past climate. Both northern and southern PLDs store information on the climatic and atmospheric state during the deposition of each layer (WPs: Becerra et al.; Smith et al). Reading the climate record stored in these layers requires detailed measurements of layer composition, thickness, isotope variability, and near-surface atmospheric measurements. We identify four fundamental questions that must be answered in order to interpret this climate record and decipher the recent climatic history of Mars: 1. Fluxes: What are the present and past fluxes of volatiles, dust, and other materials into and out of the polar regions? 2. Forcings: How do orbital/axial forcing and exchange with other reservoirs affect those fluxes? 3. Layer Processes: What chemical and physical processes form and modify layers? 4. Record: What is the timespan, completeness, and temporal resolution of the climate history recorded in the PLD? In a peer reviewed report (1), we detailed a sequence of missions, instruments, and architecture needed to answer these questions. Here, we present the science drivers and a mission concept for a polar lander that would enable a future reading of the past few million years of the Martian climate record. The mission addresses as-yet-unachieved science goals of the current Decadal Survey and of MEPAG for obtaining a record of Mars climate and has parallel goals to the NEXSAG and ICE-SAG reports

A new species of phymaturus (Squamata: Liolaemidae) from the Auca mahuida natural protected Area, Neuquén, Argentina, based on morphological and DNA evidence

El número de especies del género Phymaturus se ha incrementado constantemente desde 1995, cuando sólo diez especies habían sido descriptas. En las últimas dos décadas, este número se incrementó a 46. Este grupo de lagartos se caracteriza por tener un cuerpo ancho y achatado, una cola con espinas, ser herbívoros y vivíparos y habitar regiones rocosas, usando grietas como refugio. Para este trabajo se tomó una perspectiva desde la taxonomía integrativa para poder llegar a una evaluación rigurosa sobre el estatus taxonómico de la población que ocupa el campo volcánico Auca Mahuida. Evidencias genéticas, morfológicas y biogeográficas sugieren que esta población es un linaje separado de todas las especies descriptas hasta el momento. Esta nueva especie se distingue por una línea longitudinal en la línea media dorsal en la base de la cola. Se puso especial énfasis en determinar si este taxón presenta diferencias con los parientes más cercanos del grupo de P. palluma: P. roigorum y P. tromen. Se encontraron diferencias consistentes.The number of species of the genus Phymaturus has increased consistently since 1995, when only 10 species had been described. Over the last two decades, this number has risen to 46. This group of lizards is characterized by a flattened body and spiny tail; they are viviparous and herbivorous and inhabit rocky regions, using crevices as refuges. For the present study, an integrative taxonomy approach was used with the aim of rigorously assessing the taxonomic status of a population occupying the Auca Mahuida volcanic field. Evidence from genetics, morphology, and biogeography suggests that this population is a separate lineage from all described species. This new species can be distinguished from close relatives by a longitudinal white dorsal line along the midline at the base of the tail. Special emphasis was put on determining if this taxon presented differences from the nearest relatives of the palluma group: P. roigorum and P. tromen. Consistent differences were found.Fil: Hibbard, Thomas Nathaniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Nenda, Santiago Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Lobo Gaviola, Fernando Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentin

Identifying Endemism Areas: An Example Using Neotropical Lizards

Las áreas de endemismo son centrales en biogeografía. Estas áreas son las unidades de estudio de los métodos biogeográficos analíticos y también son un criterio relevante para identificar áreas para conservación. La familia Liolaemidae es uno de los grupos más diversos en cuanto a riqueza de especies y ambientes. Durante la última década, el número de nuevas especies registradas para los géneros Liolaemus y Phymaturus aumentó exponencialmente. La mayoría de estas especies presentan distribuciones restringidas, baja densidad poblacional y alto riesgo de extinción. Estas características hacen de la familia Liolaemidae, especialmente el género Phymaturus, un constituyente fundamental de los ecosistemas que habita. Además, las especies de Liolaemidae fueron reconocidas como endémicas, pero este reconocimiento fue mayormente intuitivo y considerando el término “endémicas” como “con distribuciones restringidas”. En este trabajo presentamos información metodológica confirmando el alto grado de endemismo de las especies de Lioelaemus y Phymaturus, entendiendo endémico como “con distribuciones congruentes”. Los objetivos de este trabajo son: analizar los datos de distribución de 289 especies de la familia Liolaemidae e dentificar áreas de endemismo utilizando el programa NDM/VNDM. Con un tamaño de grilla 0.5° × 0.5°; identificamos 27 áreas de consenso y 118 especies endémicas (41,11%). Las áreas de endemismo presentaron patrones de grupos taxonómicos de especies repetidos. También recuperamos áreas de endemismo con diferentes tamaños de grilla, definidas por las mismas especies endémicas. Según la hipótesis de la biogeografía de la vicarianza, barreras (físicas o ecológicas) fragmentaron la distribución ancestral de los taxa. Por lo tanto, las áreas de endemismo propuestas en este estudio pueden ser resultado de eventos históricos que fragmentaron la distribución ancestral de la familia dando lugar a los patrones de distribución actuales. La identificación de patrones biogeográficos de las especies, nos permite entender el ecosistema desde una perspectiva histórica y generar información importante para su conservación. En este sentido, las áreas de endemismo de una familia pueden ser una herramienta relevante a la hora de identificar prioridades para la conservación de la biodiversidad.Areas of endemism are central to biogeography. They are used as study units by analytical biogeographic methods and as a criterion to identify areas for conservation. Liolaemidae is one of the most diverse groups of lizards in terms of species richness and environmental diversity. Over the last decade, the number of new species recorded for the genera Liolaemus and Phymaturus has increased exponentially. Most of them have restricted distributions, low population density, and high extinction risk. These features make this family one of the main environmental components of the ecosystems they inhabit. Furthermore, it has been long recognized that Liolaemidae species, especially within Phymaturus, are endemic, but that recognition was made intuitively and mostly equating endemic with "having a restricted distribution." In this study, we provide methodological confirmation of the high degree of endemism of the species of Liolaemus and Phymaturus, with endemic species defined as those "having congruent distributions." Our goals are to analyze the distribution data of 289 species of Liolaemidae and identify areas of endemism using the software NDM/VNDM. With cells of 0.5° × 0.5°, we identified 27 consensus areas and recovered 118 endemic species (41.11%). These endemic areas presented patterns of repeated taxonomic groups. We also found that some areas of endemism were recovered with different cell sizes, defined by almost the same endemic species. According to the hypothesis of vicariance biogeography, barriers (physical or ecological) fragmented ancestral distributions of taxa. Therefore, the areas of endemism proposed in this study might have been the result of historical events that fragmented the ancestral distribution of the family, giving rise to present day distribution patterns. The identification of biogeographic patterns enables us to understand ecosystems from a historical perspective and generate important information for their conservation. As such, the areas of endemism of a family can be an important and relevant tool to assess priorities for conservation of biodiversity.Fil: Andrade Díaz, Soledad María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Hibbard, Thomas Nathaniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Diaz Gomez, Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentin

But they move! Vicariance and dispersal in southern South America: Using two methods to reconstruct the biogeography of a clade of lizards endemic to South America.

This study aims to identify events that modeled the historical biogeography of Phymaturus, using three methodologies: Spatial Analysis of Vicariance (VIP), Statistical Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis (S-DIVA), and Bayesian Binary Method MCMC (BBM). In order to assign areas for the Dispersal-Vicariance and the BBM analyses, we preferred not to use predefined areas, but to identify areas defined via an endemism analysis of Phymaturus species. The analyses were conducted using the same basic topology, which we obtained by constructing a metatree with two recent phylogenies, both morphology and molecular-based. This topology was also used to obtain time divergence estimates in BEAST, using more outgroups than for the metatree in order to get more accurate estimates. The S-DIVA analysis based on the metatree found 25 vicariance events, 20 dispersals and two extinctions; the S-DIVA analysis based on the BEAST tree yielded 30 vicariance events, 42 dispersal events and five extinctions, and the BBM analysis yielded 63 dispersal events, 28 vicariance events and 1 extinction event. According to the metatree analysis, the ancestral area for Phymaturus covers northern Payunia and southern Central Monte. A vicariant event fragmented the ancestral distribution of the genus, resulting in northern Payunia and southern Central Monte as ancestral area for the P. palluma group, and southern Payunia for the P. patagonicus group. The analysis based on the BEAST tree showed a more complex reconstruction, with several dispersal and extinction events in the ancestral node. The Spatial Analysis of Vicariance identified 41 disjunct sister nodes and removed 10 nodes. The barrier that separates the P. palluma group from the P. patagonicus group is roughly congruent with the southern limit of the P. palluma group. The ancestral range for the genus occupies a central position relative to the distribution of the group, which implies that the species must have migrated to the north (P. palluma group) and to the south (P. patagonicus group). To answer questions related to the specific timing of the events, a molecular clock for Phymaturus was obtained, using a Liolaemus fossil for calibration. The present contribution provides a hypothetical framework for the events that modeled the distribution of Phymaturus

Discovering the biogeographic history using predefined areas and explicit geographical data in the South American Liolaemus elongatus group (Iguania: Liolaemidae)

The genus Liolaemus includes 268 species, classified in two subgenera, Eulaemus and Liolaemus sensu stricto. The latter is formed by 12 monophyletic groups; one of them being the Liolaemus elongatus group, distributed in South America. We studied the biogeographic history of the L. elongatus group. We obtained a phylogenetic hypothesis recovering five main clades: the L. punmahuida, L. elongatus sensu stricto, L. kriegi, L. petrophilus and L. capillitas clades. Based on that hypothesis we obtained a time calibrated tree. The ancestral ranges were estimated applying three methodologies: DEC, DEC+j (using predefined areas) and GEM (using explicit geographical data). Our results show that the ancestral area of the L. elongatus group was located in central Argentina, and its divergence began around 11.5 Mya. From here, a combination of events (founder events and/or vicariances) led the species to their current distribution. Despite their differences, DEC+j and GEM show congruent results.Fil: Ruiz, Maria Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Portelli, Sabrina Noelia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Hibbard, Thomas Nathaniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Quinteros, Andres Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentin

Lessons Learned from IPCC AR 4 - Scientific Developments Needed To Understand, Predict, and Respond To Climate Change

The Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that global warming is ¿unequivocal¿ and that most of the observed increase since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to the increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations, with discernible human influences on ocean warming, continental-average temperatures, temperature extremes, wind patterns, and other physical and biological indicators, impacting both socioeconomic and ecological systems. It is now clear that we are committed to some level of global climate change, and it is imperative that this be considered when planning future climate research and observational strategies. The Global Climate Observing System program (GCOS), the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), and the International Geosphere¿Biosphere Programme (IGBP) therefore initiated a process to summarize the lessons learned through AR4 Working Groups I and II and to identify a set of high-priority modeling and observational needs. Two classes of recommendations emerged. First is the need to improve climate models, observational and climate monitoring systems, and our understanding of key processes. Second, the framework for climate research and observations must be extended to document impacts and to guide adaptation and mitigation efforts. Research and observational strategies specifically aimed at improving our ability to predict and understand impacts, adaptive capacity, and societal and ecosystem vulnerabilities will serve both purposes and are the subject of the specific recommendations made in this paper.JRC.DDG.H.3-Global environement monitorin