Uncovering the species diversity of subterranean rodents at the end of the World: three new species of Patagonian tuco-tucos (Rodentia, Hystricomorpha, Ctenomys).

Pablo Teta,Guillermo D’Elía

doi:10.7717/peerj.9259

Pablo Teta, Guillermo D’Elía

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9259

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Abstract

Ctenomys Blainville 1826 is one of the most diverse genera of South American caviomorph rodents. Currently, six species of this genus are reported from Patagonia, south of 42°S. In this contribution, we assessed the taxonomic status of several populations from eastern and central Chubut province, northern Patagonia. Based on phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences, morphology assessment (qualitative and quantitative), and previously published karyological data, we describe three new species of this genus, one formed by two subspecies, endemic to northern Patagonia. In addition, we include C. coyhaiquensis Kelt and Gallardo 1994 into the synonymy of C. sericeus J.A. Allen 1903. Finally, we discussed the need for additional integrative approaches, including field collection of specimens, to better understand the diversity of this highly speciose rodent genus.

Highlights

The fact that species play a central role in all areas of comparative biology is well recognized (e.g., Coyne & Orr, 2004)
At the base of its clade in the Bayesian inference (BI) tree there is a polytomy involving three lineages, one corresponding to C. magellanicus (PP = 1; BS = 99), other to a clade (PP = 1; BS = 93) composed by haplotypes collected at Península de Valdés, Chubut, and the other to a large clade (PP =1; BS = 81) composed by all other haplotypes of the C. magellanicus species group (Fig. 2)
Haplotypes currently assigned to C. haigi do not form a monophyletic group, falling into two main lineages; one of these is composed by a single haplotype recovered from a topotype of the species, while the other corresponds to a widely distributed clade (PP = 1; BS = 88), including the general area of the type locality

Summary

Introduction

The fact that species play a central role in all areas of comparative biology is well recognized (e.g., Coyne & Orr, 2004). A conceptual advance was the proposition of the unified species concept, under which species are defined as independently evolving metapopulation lineages (De Queiroz, 2007). This concept distinguishes between the ontological or primary concept and the operational criteria employed in species delimitation. The latter is done evaluating the acquisition of species properties (e.g., morphological diagnosability, reciprocal monophyly, reproductive isolation, or ecological differences; Sites Jr & Marshall, 2003; Knowles & Carstens, 2007; De Queiroz, 2007).

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