We describe Liolaemus attenboroughi sp. nov., a lizard distributed in the northwestern Patagonian Steppe of Chubut province (Argentina) previously confused with L. kingii (Bell 1843). Recent studies based on molecular evidence supports its evolutionary independence. Here we provide a morphological diagnosis of this lineage, comparisons between three molecular species delimitation methods, and an updated phylogeny of the L. kingii group. Based on current knowledge of its distribution, this new species is allopatric with geographically close species of the L. kingii group.
In this study we detangled the evolutionary history of the Patagonian lizard clade Liolaemus kingii, coupling dense geographic sampling and novel computational analytical approaches. We analyzed nuclear and mitochondrial data (restriction site-associated DNA sequencing and cytochrome b) to hypothesize and evaluate species limits, phylogenetic relationships, and demographic histories. We complemented these analyzes with posterior predictive simulations to assess the fit of the genomic data to the multispecies coalescent model. We also employed a novel approach to time-calibrate a phylogenetic network. Our results show several instances of mito-nuclear discordance and consistent support for a reticulated history, supporting the view that the complex evolutionary history of the kingii clade is characterized by extensive gene flow and rapid diversification events. We discuss our findings in the contexts of the “gray zone” of speciation, phylogeographic patterns in the Patagonian region, and taxonomic outcomes.
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