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1.
Zool J Linn Soc, zlac059, nov. 2022
Article in English | Sec. Est. Saúde SP, SESSP-IBPROD, Sec. Est. Saúde SP | ID: bud-4704

ABSTRACT

Morphological stasis is generally associated with relative constancy in ecological pressures throughout time, producing strong stabilizing selection that retains similar shared morphology. Although climate and vegetation are commonly the main key factors driving diversity and phenotypic diversification in terrestrial vertebrates, fossorial organisms have their morphology mostly defined by their fossorial lifestyle. Among these secretive fossorial organisms, blind snakes of the South American genus Amerotyphlops are considered poorly studied when compared to other taxa. Here, we evaluate the cryptic diversity of Amerotyphlops using phylogenetic and multivariate approaches. We based our phylogenetic analysis on a molecular dataset composed of 12 gene fragments (eight nuclear and four mitochondrial) for 109 species of Typhlopidae. The multivariate analysis was implemented using 36 morphological variables for 377 specimens of Amerotyphlops. Additionally, we contrast our phylogenetic result with the morphological variation found in cranial, external and hemipenial traits. Our phylogenetic results recovered with strong support the following monophyletic groups within Amerotyphlops: (1) a clade formed by A. tasymicris and A. minuisquamus; (2) a clade composed of A. reticulatus; (3) a north-eastern Brazilian clade including A. yonenagae, A. arenensis, A. paucisquamus and A. amoipira; and (4) a clade composed of A. brongersmianus and a complex of cryptic species. Based on these results we describe four new species of Amerotyphlops from north-eastern and south-eastern Brazil, which can be distinguished from the morphologically similar species, A. brongersmianus and A. arenensis.

2.
Zootaxa ; 4933(3): zootaxa.4933.3.1, 2021 Feb 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33756784

ABSTRACT

Boana hobbsi is a poorly known hylid frog currently placed within the Boana punctata group. Yet, morphological, ecological and bioacoustic traits do not support this placement, with no molecular data being available to date to test this hypothesis. Based on newly collected mitochondrial DNA sequences, morphological data review and field observations, we provide new insight into the phylogenetic relationships, morphological variations and geographic distribution of B. hobbsi. Our findings reveal that B. hobbsi is nested (with strong support) within the Boana benitezi group, recovering once more a polyphyletic Boana punctata group. Supported by this new genetic, morphological and ecological evidence, we propose a new taxonomic arrangement which includes B. hobbsi as a member of the Boana benitezi group. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of conducting biological inventories in remote Amazonian areas, where many taxonomic and geographic knowledge gaps persist with regards to Amphibian diversity.


Subject(s)
Anura , DNA, Mitochondrial , Animals , Anura/genetics , DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics , Phenotype , Phylogeny
3.
Zool Scr, v. 48, n. 2, 139-156, mar. 2019
Article in English | Sec. Est. Saúde SP, SESSP-IBPROD, Sec. Est. Saúde SP | ID: bud-2689

ABSTRACT

Typhlopidae is the most diverse family of Scolecophidia, with 269 species. Amerotyphlops was recently erected within subfamily Typhlopinae and comprises fifteen species distributed from Mexico to Argentina and the southern Lesser Antilles. Despite recent advances, affinities among typhlopines remain poorly explored, and the phylogenetic relationships and morphology of the South American (SA) species were never accessed before. Here, we performed a phylogenetic analysis including 106 species of Typhlopidae and ten genes. Our dataset represents the most comprehensive for SA species, containing seven of eight recognized species. Corroborating previous studies, we recovered the main groups of Typhlopoidea, and for typhlopines, we recovered with strong support two clades: (a) the Greater Antilles radiation, and the (b) Lesser Antilles and SA radiation. Within the SA radiation, we recovered four main lineages: (a) a clade formed by A. tasymicris and A. minuisquamus; (b) a clade composed by A. reticulatus as the sister group of all other SA species; (c) a clade composed by A. brongersmianus as the sister group of a clade comprising all Northeast Brazilian Species (NBS); and (d) a clade of the NBS, including A. yonenagae, A. arenensis, A. paucisquamus, and A. amoipira. We supplemented our phylogenetic result with the description of hemipenial morphology for seven SA species and comment their relevance to the systematics of Typhlopinae. Hemipenes of SA Amerotyphlops follow the general pattern in scolecophidians (single organ with undivided sulcus). Only A. reticulatus and A. minuisquamus have organs with calcified spines. According to our results, hemipenial ornamentation have shown highly informative and could represent a potential source of systematic and taxonomic characters in that group. We also present an extensive review of the geographical distribution for all SA species. Our study represents the first integrative analysis of a poorly known evolutionary radiation of one of the most widespread SA fossorial snakes.

4.
Zool Scr ; 48(2): p. 139-156, 2019.
Article in English | Sec. Est. Saúde SP, SESSP-IBPROD, Sec. Est. Saúde SP | ID: but-ib15870

ABSTRACT

Typhlopidae is the most diverse family of Scolecophidia, with 269 species. Amerotyphlops was recently erected within subfamily Typhlopinae and comprises fifteen species distributed from Mexico to Argentina and the southern Lesser Antilles. Despite recent advances, affinities among typhlopines remain poorly explored, and the phylogenetic relationships and morphology of the South American (SA) species were never accessed before. Here, we performed a phylogenetic analysis including 106 species of Typhlopidae and ten genes. Our dataset represents the most comprehensive for SA species, containing seven of eight recognized species. Corroborating previous studies, we recovered the main groups of Typhlopoidea, and for typhlopines, we recovered with strong support two clades: (a) the Greater Antilles radiation, and the (b) Lesser Antilles and SA radiation. Within the SA radiation, we recovered four main lineages: (a) a clade formed by A. tasymicris and A. minuisquamus; (b) a clade composed by A. reticulatus as the sister group of all other SA species; (c) a clade composed by A. brongersmianus as the sister group of a clade comprising all Northeast Brazilian Species (NBS); and (d) a clade of the NBS, including A. yonenagae, A. arenensis, A. paucisquamus, and A. amoipira. We supplemented our phylogenetic result with the description of hemipenial morphology for seven SA species and comment their relevance to the systematics of Typhlopinae. Hemipenes of SA Amerotyphlops follow the general pattern in scolecophidians (single organ with undivided sulcus). Only A. reticulatus and A. minuisquamus have organs with calcified spines. According to our results, hemipenial ornamentation have shown highly informative and could represent a potential source of systematic and taxonomic characters in that group. We also present an extensive review of the geographical distribution for all SA species. Our study represents the first integrative analysis of a poorly known evolutionary radiation of one of the most widespread SA fossorial snakes.

5.
Zookeys ; (715): 103-159, 2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29302235

ABSTRACT

The Brazilian mountain ranges from the Guiana Shield highlands are largely unexplored, with an understudied herpetofauna. Here the amphibian and reptile species diversity of the remote Serra da Mocidade mountain range, located in extreme northern Brazil, is reported upon, and biogeographical affinities and taxonomic highlights are discussed. A 22-days expedition to this mountain range was undertaken during which specimens were sampled at four distinct altitudinal levels (600, 960, 1,060 and 1,365 m above sea level) using six complementary methods. Specimens were identified through an integrated approach that considered morphological, bioacoustical, and molecular analyses. Fifty-one species (23 amphibians and 28 reptiles) were found, a comparable richness to other mountain ranges in the region. The recorded assemblage showed a mixed compositional influence from assemblages typical of other mountain ranges and lowland forest habitats in the region. Most of the taxa occupying the Serra da Mocidade mountain range are typical of the Guiana Shield or widely distributed in the Amazon. Extensions of known distribution ranges and candidate undescribed taxa are also recorded. This is the first herpetofaunal expedition that accessed the higher altitudinal levels of this mountain range, contributing to the basic knowledge of these groups in remote areas.

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