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,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2016-08, Vol.11 (8), p.e0158542-e0158542
Main Authors: Murphy, John C, Jowers, Michael J, Lehtinen, Richard M, Charles, Stevland P, Colli, Guarino R, Peres, Jr, Ayrton K, Hendry, Catriona R, Pyron, R Alexander
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biology
Biology and Life Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences
Dermochelys coriacea
Discovery and exploration
Divergence
DNA - genetics
Ecology
Evolution, Molecular
Genetic Speciation
Lacertilia
Lizards
Lizards - anatomy & histology
Lizards - classification
Lizards - genetics
Medicine and Health Sciences
Morphology
Museums
New species
Phylogeny
Reptiles
Reptiles & amphibians
Skin
South America
Squamata
Sympatric populations
Sympatry
Teiidae
Thelypteris palustris
Tupinambis
Tupinambis nigropunctatus
Zoology
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Summary: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.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0158542