Glacial refugia protected and promoted biodiversity during the Pleistocene, not only at a broader scale, but also for many endemics that contracted and expanded their ranges within refugial areas. Understanding the evolutionary history of refugial endemics is especially important in the case of endangered species to recognize the origins of their genetic structure and thus produce better informed conservation practices. The Iberian Peninsula is an important European glacial refugium, rich in endemics of conservation concern, including small mammals, such as the Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae). This near-threatened rodent is characterized by an unusual suite of genetic, life history and ecological traits, being restricted to isolated geographic nuclei in fast-disappearing Mediterranean subhumid herbaceous habitats. To reconstruct the evolutionary history of the Cabrera vole, we studied sequence variation at mitochondrial, autosomal and sex-linked loci, using invasive and noninvasive samples. Despite low overall mitochondrial and nuclear nucleotide diversities, we observed two main well-supported mitochondrial lineages, west and east. Phylogeographic modelling in the context of the Cabrera vole's detailed fossil record supports a demographic scenario of isolation of two populations during the Last Glacial Maximum from a single focus in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, our data suggest subsequent divergence within the east, and secondary contact and introgression of the expanding western population, during the late Holocene. This work emphasizes that refugial endemics may have a phylogeographic history as rich as that of more widespread species, and conservation of such endemics includes the preservation of that genetic legacy.

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ResumenPresentamos en este artículo el mapa con el área de distribución global de Iberomys cabrerae, en cuadrículas UTM 10x10 km. A partir de los resultados obtenidos, destacamos que a) las 420 cuadrículas con citas se concentran en cuatro grandes núcleos disjuntos (Luso-Carpetano, Montibérico, Bético y Prepirenaico), de los cuales el más extenso es el Luso-Carpetano y el más pequeño, aislado y amenazado es el Prepirenaico; b) sería necesario intensificar la búsqueda de poblaciones en áreas próximas aún poco estudiadas; y c) los datos disponibles sobre la situación de las poblaciones tienen una calidad y distribución geográfica muy desigual, con lo que no disponemos de una imagen clara de su estado de conservación ni se pueden desarrollar estrategias de protección y gestión adecuadas. Palabras clave: atlas de distribución, conservación, España, Iberomys cabrerae, Portugal. ResumoNeste estudo é apresentado um mapa de quadrículas UTM 10x10 km para toda a área de distribuição de Iberomys cabrerae. A partir dos dados obtidos destacamos que a) as 420 quadrículas com dados se concentram em 4 grandes núcleos disjuntos (Luso-Carpetano, Montibérico, Bético y Prepirenaico), das quais o mais importante é o Luso-Carpetano e o mais pequeno, isolado e ameaçado é o Preirenáico; b) é necessário intensificar a procura de populações em áreas ainda pouco estudadas; e c) os dados disponíveis sobre a situação das populações têm uma qualidade muito desigual, diferindo igualmente entre regiões, o que não permite ter uma imagem clara do seu estado de conservação, nem desenvolver estratégias de proteção e gestão adequadas. Palavras-chave: atlas de distribuição, conservação, Espanha, Iberomys cabrerae, Portugal. AbstractIn this article, we provide a map representing the whole distribution area of Iberomys cabrerae, displayed in UTM System, at a scale of 10x10 km squares. Our results show that a) the records are included in 420 squares, which are grouped in four large, disjunct nuclei: Luso-Carpetanian, Montiberian, Baetic and Prepyrenean, the Luso-Carpetanian grouping the largest number of populations, and the Prepyrenean (isolated and threatened) including the smallest number of populations; b) it is necessary to conduct surveys in certain poorly explored areas; and c) available data on the population status are unbalanced in quality and geographic distribution, providing an inaccurate picture of the global conservation status, and preventing the development of global strategies for an adequate conservation and management of the species.

a b s t r a c tSouthern Spain's semi-arid habitats are a Mediterranean ecosystem modelled mainly by historic factors which make them unique in comparison with North African deserts. Southern Spanish vertebrates have adapted to the recent emergence of semi-arid habitats in varying degrees of success. This paper reviews the current status of these terrestrial vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals), their origins and their main features in relation to this biogeographic area. The vertebrate fauna of the semi-arid southeast of the Iberian peninsula differs widely from the one in the semi-arid Maghreb mainly because the former is composed by generalist vertebrates and much less so by species adapted to arid conditions. Moreover, a large fraction of the vertebrates in the semi-arid Iberia does not exploit the semiarid areas but depends on riparian and human-managed habitats. The species diversity is rather low since only a small fraction of Palaearctic, European or Mediterranean species can adapt to the ecological limitations imposed by aridity and dwell in these semi-arid habitats. Such adaptations comprehend features like trophic plasticity, low morphological specialization, high dispersal ability, shortened life cycles and behavioural mechanisms to exploit the limited resources available. This paper identifies major conservation issues and proposes specific courses of action.