Cryptic, sympatric diversity in Tegu lizards of the Tupinambis teguixin Group (Squamata, Sauria, Teiidae) and the description of three new species

Tegus of the genera Tupinambis and Salvator are the largest Neotropical lizards and the most exploited clade of Neotropical reptiles. For three decades more than 34 million tegu skins were in trade, about 1.02 million per year. The genus Tupinambis is distributed in South America east of the Andes, and currently contains four recognized species, three of which are found only in Brazil. However, the type species of the genus, T. teguixin, is known from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela (including the Isla de Margarita). Here we present molecular and morphological evidence that this species is genetically divergent across its range and identify four distinct clades some of which are sympatric. The occurrence of cryptic sympatric species undoubtedly exacerbated the nomenclatural problems of the past. We discuss the species supported by molecular and morphological evidence and increase the number of species in the genus Tupinambis to seven. The four members of the T. teguixin group continue to be confused with Salvator merianae, despite having a distinctly different morphology and reproductive mode. All members of the genus Tupinambis are CITES Appendix II. Yet, they continue to be heavily exploited, under studied, and confused in the minds of the public, conservationists, and scientists

Displasia ventricular direita arritmogênica: diagnóstico, prognóstico e tratamento

Descritas as características anátomo-clinicas da displasia ventricular direita arritmogênica e discutidos os métodos diagnósticos e terapêuticos, é apresentada a Série de Maastricht constituída de 14 pacientes, com os dados clínicos, diagnósticos e terapêuticos num tempo médio de 4.2 anos de acompanhamento

The neolectotype of <i>Lacerta teguixin</i> (NRM 121).

<p>Photo credit Sven O. Kullander.</p

The GRRF results.

<p>(A) Importance of meristic counts in predicting individual assignments to four species of <i>Tupinambis</i> lizards based on mean decrease in Gini accuracy as revealed by 100 replicates of 10-fold cross-validation of Guided Regularized Random Forests (GRRF). The higher the mean decrease in Gini accuracy, the higher the predictor importance. (B) Prediction error of GRRF models based on reducing number of predictors ranked by importance, as revealed by 100 replicates of 10-fold cross-validation. (C) Variation in vertebral rows and scales around midbody, the two best predictors of differences among four species of <i>Tupinambis</i> lizards.</p

Comparison of the four species of the <i>Tupinambis teguixin</i> group.

<p>IP = interparietal, R = range, SD = standard deviation, X = mean. * = usually three, ** usually two.</p

The number of ciliaries in contact with the last supraocular.

<p>This is useful for identification since some taxa tend to have two ciliaries in contact with the last supraocular, while others tend to have three. The white markers denote the ciliaries in contact with the last supraocular.</p

The distribution of members of the genus <i>Tupinambis</i>.

<p>Large circular markers denote the localities of specimens sampled for DNA. Smaller circular markers denote localities of specimens identified using morphology: Green is clade 1 (<i>T</i>. <i>cuzcoensis</i> sp. n.), blue is clade 2 (<i>T</i>. <i>teguixin</i>), purple is clade 3, (<i>T</i>. <i>zuliensis</i> sp. n.), and red is clade 4 (<i>T</i>. <i>cryptus</i> sp. n.). The two most northern red circles represent the islands of Tobago and Trinidad respectively. The other markers denote other species of <i>Tupinambis</i> not in the teguixin group. Red X = <i>T</i>. <i>palustris</i>. Black X = <i>T</i>. <i>longilineus</i>. Aqua blue circles = <i>T</i>. <i>quadrilineatus</i>.</p

Two traits that are useful in separating the four species of the <i>Tupinambis teguixin</i> group.

<p>First, the shape and size of the scales on the anterior surface of the femur: (A) <i>T</i>. <i>cuzcoensis</i>; (B) <i>T</i>. <i>cryptus</i> (C) <i>T</i>. <i>teguixin</i> (D) <i>T</i>. <i>zuliensis</i>. Second, the upper labial under the anterior corner of the orbit (E, F). The inside corner of the orbit is over the third upper labial in <i>Tupinambis teguixin</i>, and the fourth upper labial in <i>T</i>. <i>cryptus</i>. The supratemporals are numbered. <i>Tupinambis teguixin</i> (E) usually has two supratemporals and <i>T</i>. <i>cryptus</i> (F) usually has three supratemporals.</p