A complex biogeographic history of diversification in Neotropical lancehead pitvipers (Serpentes, Viperidae)

Abstract

AbstractBased on the literature, we had predicted that the diversification within the Neotropical snake genusBothropsoccurred along a latitudinal gradient from north to south, with diversification into unoccupied niches through ecological opportunity, not correlated with geoclimatic events. Using a dated phylogeny and estimating likelihoods of ancestral states at cladogenesis events, we reconstructed ancestral areas and assessed major events of the diversification ofBothropsclades, and we also discuss systematic implications for this group. Based on the phylogeny we produced,B. lojanuswas not considered as part of the genusBothropssince the results recovered this species nested within theBothrocophiasclade. We infer that the diversification of the MioceneBothrops pictusandBothrops alternatusclades may be related to the uplift of the western slopes of the Andes and the Argentinian Patagonian Andes, respectively. The PlioceneBothrops taeniatusandBothrops osborneiclades may be related to the uplift of the eastern and northern Andes, respectively. The Plio‐PleistoceneBothrops neuwiediclade may be related to the habitat transitions from a warmer and forested environment to a cooler and open landscape; theBothrops jararaca(i.e. island endemic species) andBothrops lanceolatusclades to over‐water dispersal with island speciation; andBothrops atroxclade to the appearance of the Panamanian land bridge. We found that a multitemporal and multidirectional history of diversification may be correlated with geoclimatic and dispersalist events. We argue that the vacant niche hypothesis by itself does not explainBothropsdiversification.