The hidden diversity of Coleodactylus amazonicus (Sphaerodactylinae, Gekkota) revealed by molecular data

Abstract

Coleodactylus amazonicus, a small leaf-litter diurnal gecko widely distributed in Amazon Basin, has been considered a single species with no significant morphological differences between populations along its range. A recent molecular study, however, detected large genetic differences between populations of central Amazonia and those in the easternmost part of the Amazon Basin, suggesting the presence of taxonomically unrecognised diversity. In this study, DNA sequences of three mitochondrial (16S, cytb, and ND4) and two nuclear genes (RAG-1, c-mos) were used to investigate whether the species currently identified as C.amazonicus contains morphologically cryptic species lineages. The present phylogenetic analysis reveals further genetic subdivision including at least five potential species lineages, restricted to northeastern (lineage A), southeastern (lineage B), central-northern (lineage E) and central-southern (lineages C and D) parts of Amazon Basin. All clades are characterized by exclusive groups of alleles for both nuclear genes and highly divergent mitochondrial haplotype clades, with corrected pairwise net sequence divergence between sister lineages ranging from 9.1% to 20.7% for the entire mtDNA dataset. Results of this study suggest that the real diversity of "C. amazonicus" has been underestimated due to its apparent cryptic diversification.

Molecular phylogeny, species limits, and biogeography of the Brazilian endemic lizard genus Enyalius (Squamata: Leiosauridae): An example of the historical relationship between Atlantic Forests and Amazonia

“…Recent herpetological studies in other biomes (e.g. Geurgas and Rodrigues, 2010;Morando et al, 2007Morando et al, , 2013Werneck et al, 2012;Fouquet et al, 2012a) have reached similar conclusions.…”

“…A molecular approach based on DNA sequences is an ideal method of overcoming the difficulties imposed in a taxonomically complex group in which morphology alone was revealed to be insufficient to properly diagnose the taxa involved (Moritz et al, 2000;Geurgas and Rodrigues, 2010;Pellegrino et al, 2001Pellegrino et al, , 2011. It is also a powerful tool used to investigate the history and timing of diversification in Enyalius.…”

Are Amazonia Rivers Biogeographic Barriers for Lizards? A Study on the Geographic Variation of the Spectacled LizardLeposoma osvaldoiAvila-Pires (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae)

“…The Amazon basin, long known for its stupendous species richness (Mittermeier et al, 1997), is increasingly recognized as containing taxa with restricted ranges and areas of endemism within the vast expanse of rainforest (Cracraft, 1985;Roosmalen et al, 2002;Geurgas and Rodrigues, 2010). For birds and primates, the major Amazonian tributaries delimit the geographic ranges of many species, including species complexes with allopatric distributions on opposite banks of these rivers (Sick, 1967;Ayres and Clutton-Brock, 1992;Roosmalen et al, 2002;Cohn-Haft et al, 2007).…”

Checklist of lizards of the Juruti, state of Pará, Brazil

“…The species Chatogekko amazonicus, Gonatodes humeralis, Ameiva ameiva e Kentropyx calcarata are widely distributed, occurring in different areas of the Brazilian Amazon (Cunha et al 1985;Duellman 1990;Martins 1991;Ávila-Pires and Hoogmoed 1997;Bernardi et al 2002;Macedo et al 2008;Vitt et al 2008;Ilha and Dixo 2010;Ávila-Pires et al 2010;Silva et al 2011;Bernardo et al 2012) (Table 2). However, according Geurgas and Rodrigues (2010), there are molecular evidences that C. amazonicus may represent several distinct species. About 30% of lizard species recorded in the Juruti region, occurred in the four habitat types (PF, SF, DA and IG).…”