We provide a critical review of a recent taxonomic revision of Chilean Liolaemus lizards (Iguania: Liolaemidae) by Pincheira-Donoso and Núñez (2005) and a recent paper (PincheiraDonoso et al. 2008), which proposed several new taxonomic and phylogenetic arrangements. We document fundamental problems with many of the proposed taxonomic revisions in both publications, which if followed, could lead to serious taxonomic confusion. In Pincheira-Donoso and Núñez (2005) a subgeneric classification is erected, which was produced by outdated methods (phenetic analyses), cannot be replicated (no matrix is presented), and is taxonomically untenable (some of the subgenera are nested within other subgenera). Most of the taxonomic groups that are proposed have been previously proposed, albeit differently constituted, yet often previous research is not given attribution; when findings are different, the research of others is either overlooked or dismissed without comment. The diagnoses of species and subspecies (including several newly proposed taxa) are often written in an authoritative manner (without supporting data or information), making them insufficient for distinguishing the focal taxon from others belonging to the same group, finally leading to uncertainty regarding the validity of several of the newly proposed taxa, combinations, or synonymies. We also describe less egregious errors of omission and commission. In Pincheira-Donoso et al. (2008), most of the proposals follow the Pincheira-Donoso and Núñez (2005) revisions, some species are allocated to groups without consistent cladistic support and other proposed relationships are based on incomplete evidence from other studies dismissing the limitations of the arrangement. Critical species are not identified in a list of material examined. Finally, Pincheira-Donoso et al. (2008) present a somewhat outdated and biased discussion of the relative value of using molecules or morphology in systematics. In light of these limitations, and in an effort to stabilize and prevent further taxonomic confusion, we provide an updated phylogenetic classification of the currently recognized lizards of the family Liolaemidae (Ctenoblepharys, Liolaemus, and Phymaturus), which is based on a consensus of studies published since the first phylogenetic major revision of the clade in 1995.

Phylogenetic relationships within the liolaemid lizard genus

With 36 species and at least nine potentially independent lineages (not formally described yet) occurring mostly in theAndes and adjacent Patagonia and Puna plateau areas, Phymaturus lizards represent one of the most endemic vertebrategroups of the arid southwestern region of South America. Phylogenetic relationships among species of Phymaturus areinferred using mainly a morphological data set of 206 characters. Also available sequences of mitochondrial DNA for sev-en terminals were added for a total evidence analysis. Most information is included in the discrete characters block; mostcharacters involve color pattern, osteology and squamation. Continuous characters were taken from body proportions,squamation and skeletons. Among morphological data, binary polymorphic characters were analyzed applying the scaledcoding criteria. Continuous characters were entered in the analysis using standardized ranges, a method that allows a sim-ple optimization to estimate distances/costs avoiding the arbitrary coding as discrete characters. For our parsimony anal-yses we chose the implied weights method, which underweights homoplastic characters. Several runs were madeanalyzing all the information combined and also separating morphological from molecular datasets. Binary polymor-phisms were also analyzed as missing data. All characters affected by sexual dimorphism were analyzed separating thesexes; female information was more congruent with the total evidence analysis. Characters involving continuous and poly-morphic information are relevant for searching and building phylogenetic hypotheses in Phymaturus. There exists signif-icant congruence between the molecular information analyzed in this study and previous published analyses. Within bothmain clades of Phymaturus, northern subgroups are those more recently originated during the genus diversification. Spe-cies belonging to the puna subclade of the palluma group are arranged in two natural groups, one distributed in the north(Catamarca and La Rioja provinces), and the other in the south, La Rioja and San Juan provinces. Within the patagonicusgroup, the majority of the species are arranged in a south-central Chubut clade, eastern-central Chubut clade, central Rio Negro clade and a Payunia clade.

Many traits of the skull of ceratophryines are related to the capture of large prey independently of aquatic or terrestrial feeding. Herein, detailed descriptions of the development of hyoid skeleton and the anatomy of muscles responsible for hyoid and tongue movements in Lepidobatrachus laevis and L. llanensis are provided and compared with those of other neobatrachians. The aquatic Lepidobatrachus has special features in its hyoid skeleton that integrates a set of derived features convergent with the conditions observed in non-neobatrachian anurans and morphological novelties (e.g., dorsal dermal hyoid ossification) that deviate from the generalized pattern found in most frogs. Further, reduction of fibers of muscles of buccal floor, reduction or loss of hyoid muscles (m. geniohyoideus rama lateralis, anterior pair of m. petrohyoideus posteriores), small tongue, and simplified tongue muscles are also morphological deviations from the pattern of terrestrial ceratophryines, and other aquatic ceratophryids (e.g., Telmatobius) that seem to be related to feeding underwater. The historical derived features shared with Chacophrys and Ceratophrys involved in megalophagy are conserved in Lepidobatrachus and morphological changes in the hyoglossal apparatus define a unique functional complex among anurans.

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Adult morphological variation of muscles originating on the iliac shaft (M. iliacus externus, M. internus, and tensor fasciae latae) and vertebrae (M. longissimus dorsi, M. coccygeosacralis, and M. coccygeoiliacus) that are involved in postmetamorphic anuran locomotion was recorded in 41 neobatrachians and coded in 13 more based on the literature, for a total of 54 anuran species. In addition, we explored the spatial and temporal sequences in the ontogeny of these set of muscles from larval series of 19 neobatrachians whose adults differ in locomotion and lifestyle. Our findings suggest that: (1) jumping, swimming, and/or walking are capabilities that could have been achieved from novelties of limbs and protractor muscles of the femur rather than from changes in the axial musculoskeletal system; (2) the initial ontogenetic phase of the locomotion comprises the capability to escape, when the tail is still present; (3) the secondary phase of locomotion comprises changes in the axial skeleton and muscles integrated to the pelvis and might develop simultaneously with the new feeding mechanism of the recently metamorphosed frog.

after the study of a diverse collection of Phymaturus from three argentinian institutions and additional samples collected in the last two years we discovered several populations of uncertain taxonomic status. Based on 93 morphological characters of squamation, color pattern, gular and nuchal folds, precloacal pores, and morphometric data, we conclude that at least four of those are independent lineages which require formal description. characters related to sexual dimorphism and dichromatism as well as the ontogenetic change of several others, from juvenile to adult specimens, are described. according to the most recent revision of the genus (Lobo and Quinteros, 2005a) and considering the descriptions made in the last four years, the taxonomic composition of the genus was raised to 23 species. in this study we provide the formal description of four additional new taxa, including their diagnosis and detailed comparisons with other members of their species groups. Two new species belong to the patagonicus group (provinces of chubut and rio negro, in patagonia between 46° and 41° of latitude) while the other two belong to the palluma group (neuquén and catamarca provinces, western argentina, 39° and 27-26°30' of latitude respectively). with the exception of one case for which four localities are reported, all new species are restricted to their type localities. This fact confirms a common historical distributional pattern for most species of the genus.