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Scarpetta SG. A Palaeogene stem crotaphytid ( Aciprion formosum) and the phylogenetic affinities of early fossil pleurodontan iguanians. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:221139. [PMID: 38204790 PMCID: PMC10776235 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Pleurodonta is an ancient, diverse clade of iguanian lizard distributed primarily in the Western Hemisphere. Although the clade is a frequent subject of systematic research, phylogenetic resolution among the major pleurodontan clades is elusive. That uncertainty has complicated the interpretations of many fossil pleurodontans. I describe a fossil skull of a pleurodontan lizard from the Palaeogene of Wyoming that was previously allocated to the puzzling taxon Aciprion formosum, and provide an updated morphological matrix for iguanian lizards. Phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference demonstrate that the fossil skull is the oldest and first definitive stem member of Crotaphytidae (collared and leopard lizards), establishing the presence of that clade in North America during the Palaeogene. I also discuss new or revised hypotheses for the relationships of several early pleurodontans. In particular, I examine potential evidence for crown-Pleurodonta in the Cretaceous of Mongolia (Polrussia), stem Pleurodonta in the Cretaceous of North America (Magnuviator) and a stem anole in the Eocene of North America (Afairiguana). I suggest that the placement of the fossil crotaphytid is stable to the uncertain phylogeny of Pleurodonta, but recognize the dynamic nature of fossil diagnosis and the potential for updated systematic hypotheses for the other fossils analysed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon G. Scarpetta
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, 3101 UC Berkeley Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
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2
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Valdez Ovallez FM, Erostarbe AV, Cocilio RN, Gómez Alés R, Fernández R, Acosta R, Blanco G, Acosta JC, Corrales L. Microhabitat use and selection by Pristidactylus scapulatus (Squamata Leiosauridae) in the Puna region of the Central Andes in Argentina. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2022.2120085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Franco M. Valdez Ovallez
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Libertador Gral. José San Martín 1109 (O) CP: 5400, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Ana Victorica Erostarbe
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Libertador Gral. José San Martín 1109 (O) CP: 5400, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Rodrigo Nieva Cocilio
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Libertador Gral. José San Martín 1109 (O) CP: 5400, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Rodrigo Gómez Alés
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Libertador Gral. José San Martín 1109 (O) CP: 5400, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Ruben Fernández
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Libertador Gral. José San Martín 1109 (O) CP: 5400, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Rodrigo Acosta
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Graciela Blanco
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Juan C. Acosta
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Lucas Corrales
- Gabinete de Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O) CPA: J5402DCS Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Libertador Gral. José San Martín 1109 (O) CP: 5400, San Juan, Argentina
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3
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Guerrero EL, Apodaca MJ. The smallest area shaped a big problem: a revision of the placement of the Ventania sky island in the biogeography of South America. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The placement of the southern border of the Neotropical region, called the Subtropical Line, is a long-lasting point of discussion. Its most debatable section runs around the Pampean province, where an isolated mountain system called Ventania has Andean connections surrounded by Neotropical biota. To answer where to place the Subtropical Line, a thorough revision of the biogeography of Ventania is needed. Thus, we characterized Ventania as an area of endemism and conducted a similitude analysis to compare it with surrounding systems using stenoic taxa. Then we compiled the disjunct distributions in Ventania and the phylogenetic information of its endemic taxa to know with which other areas it is related. We also compared the biogeographic differences with Tandilia, the nearest mountain system. We found that Ventania is a small but well-defined area of endemism mostly related to the Andean and South American Transition Zone (SATZ) provinces. Relatedness with the Pampean province is less than had been thought. We suggest that Ventania is a SATZ sky island province, and the smallest continental province of the world. The Subtropical Line should therefore be placed in the southern border of the Pampean province, with Ventania as a SATZ island inside the Neotropical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elián L Guerrero
- División Plantas Vasculares, Museo de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo (Universidad Nacional de La Plata) , La Plata B1900 , Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET) , Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1425FQB , Argentina
| | - María José Apodaca
- División Plantas Vasculares, Museo de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo (Universidad Nacional de La Plata) , La Plata B1900 , Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET) , Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1425FQB , Argentina
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Gómez Alés R, Acosta JC, Valdez F, Martínez TA, Acosta R, Rodriguez Muñoz MJ, Fernández R, Corrales L. Comparative thermal ecophysiology in Pristidactylus scapulatus populations from the Puna region of Argentina. ZOOLOGY 2021; 145:125903. [PMID: 33639556 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2021.125903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Reptiles are important models for understanding fundamental aspects of physiological ecology and for assessing how environmental change can impact biodiversity. Abiotic factors (micro-environmental temperatures, operative temperatures, thermal quality) may vary geographically along an altitudinal and latitudinal gradient, and therefore the different thermal resources available for thermoregulation also vary. Comparative analyses among populations provide an opportunity to understand how variation in abiotic factors can affect different ecophysiological traits of a species at different geographical points. Our objective was to carry out a comparative study between two populations of Pristidactylus scapulatus in the Puna region of Argentina, providing the first data available on thermal ecophysiology, thermoregulatory efficiency and locomotor performance of the species. We determined field body temperature, micro-environmental temperatures and operative temperatures. In the laboratory, we measured preferred temperatures and calculated the index of thermoregulatory efficiency. In addition, we recorded critical temperature (minimum and maximum) and we estimated the thermal sensitivity of locomotion by measuring sprint speed at different body temperatures; based on these data we calculated the optimal temperature for performance, the optimal performance breadth and thermal safety margin. Air temperatures and operative temperatures were different between sites. However, we only found differences between populations in the minimum critical temperatures, with these being lower at higher latitude. We note that P. scapulatus populations adjust optimal temperatures of performance to field body temperatures and preferred temperatures, which could reduce the costs of thermoregulation in lizards with limited daily activity and who inhabit sites with variable and unpredictable environment temperatures. We conclude that Pristidactylus scapulatus has thermal sensitivity in locomotor performance, is a moderate thermoregulator with respect to the environment and is a eurithermic lizard, which has thermal flexibility in the cold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Gómez Alés
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina; CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), San Juan, Argentina.
| | - Juan Carlos Acosta
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina
| | - Franco Valdez
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina; CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), San Juan, Argentina
| | - Tomás Agustín Martínez
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina; CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), San Juan, Argentina
| | - Rodrigo Acosta
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina
| | - Melina Jesús Rodriguez Muñoz
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina; CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), San Juan, Argentina
| | - Rubén Fernández
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina; CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), San Juan, Argentina
| | - Lucas Corrales
- DIBIOVA (Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O), Rivadavia, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina; CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), San Juan, Argentina
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Blengini CS, Juri GL, Chiaraviglio M, Uñates DR, Naretto S. Sperm Parameters in Pristidactylus achalensis (Squamata: Leiosauridae), a Lizard Endemic to the Highest Mountain Areas in Central Argentina. COPEIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1643/ch-19-310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Soledad Blengini
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina; (CSB) ; (GLJ) ; (MC) ; (
| | - Guadalupe López Juri
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina; (CSB) ; (GLJ) ; (MC) ; (
| | - Margarita Chiaraviglio
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina; (CSB) ; (GLJ) ; (MC) ; (
| | - Diego Rafael Uñates
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina; (CSB) ; (GLJ) ; (MC) ; (
| | - Sergio Naretto
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Córdoba, Argentina; (CSB) ; (GLJ) ; (MC) ; (
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Naretto S, Chiaraviglio M. Factors driving sexual dimorphism and colour variability in the Achala Copper Lizard (Pristidactylus achalensis), an endemic species to the highland mountains in central Argentina. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The intensity of mating competition varies according to the temporal and spatial distribution of individuals. Measuring sexual dimorphism over time and interpreting the association between individuals is therefore important if we aim to understand how sexual traits are influenced. We examined sex differences in the Achala Copper Lizard (Pristidactylus achalensis (Gallardo, 1964)), an endemic species from the highest part of mountains of central Argentina. Over 4 years, we explored sex-specific variation in body size, head size, interlimb length, and body colouration. Furthermore, we evaluated how these traits varied temporally, and we also explored whether the spatial distribution of individuals is explained by variation in these traits. We found that P. achalensis is a species with sexual dimorphism in multiple characters, including body size, head size, and colouration. Interestingly, some traits related to mating, such as head width, show a temporal variability in both sexes, whereas other traits, such as colouration, varies seasonally only in males. Our results underline the intriguing possibility of seasonal morphological changes related to mating, and more broadly that sex differences are influenced by sexual selection pressures mediated by temporal variation in mate competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Naretto
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M. Chiaraviglio
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
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The enigmatic Leiosaurae clade: Phylogeography, species delimitation, phylogeny and historical biogeography of its southernmost species. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 144:106725. [PMID: 31884086 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The clade Leiosaurae is composed of poorly-known species endemic to the southern region of South America. The difficulties of finding these lizards in the field, and their highly conserved morphology, have limited our taxonomic knowledge and understanding of their evolutionary histories. Here, we use data collected over 9 years to study the phylogenetic history, genetic diversity, and biogeographic history of almost all the southernmost species of Leiosaurae (except P. nigroigulus), including: Leiosaurus bellii, Diplolaemus darwinii, D. bibronii, D. sexcinctus and D. leopardinus. We use a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene to resolve general phylogeographic patterns, and add another mitochondrial gene and eight nuclear genes to perform species delimitation and phylogenetic analyses associated with divergence times. We found evidence for three putative new species-level taxa within L. bellii and five within Diplolaemus species, indicating high levels of geographic structure. We use a time-calibrated phylogeny to estimate ranges of ancestral distributions and to generate new hypotheses about their historical biogeography.
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Amorim PF, Costa WJEM. Reconstructing biogeographic temporal events in the evolution of the livebearer fish genus Jenynsia based on total evidence analysis (Cyprinodontiformes: Anablepidae). SYST BIODIVERS 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2018.1554606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro F. Amorim
- Laboratory of Systematics and Evolution of Teleost Fishes, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wilson J. E. M. Costa
- Laboratory of Systematics and Evolution of Teleost Fishes, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Abstract
Squamates form a substantial part of the present-day South American herpetofauna, and their fossils constitute an indispensable evidence for understanding the origin and evolution of the main taxa. Squamates are relatively common in Miocene localities of Patagonia, especially in levels of the late early Miocene Santa Cruz Formation. In this contribution, remains of the three species of the extinct iguanidErichosaurusAmeghino 1899 (E. diminutus,E. bombimaxillaandE. debilis) are redescribed, and new squamate specimens are reported for first time. The genusErichosaurusis considered invalid.Erichosaurus debilis,E. diminutusand a new specimen are recognized as indeterminate species of the extant polichrotinePristidactylus, whereasE. bombimaxillaremains as an indeterminate iguanid. Snakes are represented by an indeterminate colubrid. All these specimens, together with a tupinambine teiid previously described for the same formation, represent the southernmost fossil record of squamates in South America and indicate the occurrence of the iguanidPristidactylus, the teiidTupinambisand the colubrid snakes south to their present distribution as back as during the early Miocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Albino
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-CONICET, Funes 3250, B7602AYJ Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Santiago Brizuela
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-CONICET, Funes 3250, B7602AYJ Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Sergio Vizcaíno
- División Paleontología Vertebrados, Unidades de Investigación Anexo Museo, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Calle 60 y 122, B1900AVW La Plata, Argentina
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