Salamandra salamandra (Amphibia: Caudata: Salamandridae) in Portugal: not all black and yellow

Abstract

The fire salamander complex is quite diverse in the Iberian Peninsula where nine subspecies of Salamandra salamandra are currently recognized. Here, we analysed the geographical distribution of the subspecies S. s. gallaica and S. s. crespoi using partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of 168 individuals from 12 locations in Portugal. Our results support the existence of a deep lineage divergence between the two subspecies, with non-overlapping geographical distributions except in two contact zones: one in Sesimbra on the western coast, and another in Alcoutim on the southeastern border with Spain. Moreover, S. s. crespoi displays signs of gene flow among the sampled locations whereas S. s. gallaica shows evidence of some restriction to gene flow. Present-day genetic make-up of S. s. gallaica and S. s. crespoi is a result of past historical events, fine-tuned by contemporary Iberian geoclimate. Humid mountain areas were found to harbour increased genetic diversity possibly acting as past refugia during drier interglacial periods. To analyse wider geographical patterns and lineage splitting events within S. salamandra we performed a Bayesian dating analysis completing our data set with previously published sequences. The observed divergences were associated to successive biogeographic scenarios, and to other Iberian species showing similar trends.

Phylogenomic inference of species and subspecies diversity in the Palearctic salamander genus Salamandra

“…While this has been previously indicated in other molecular studies with fewer data (e.g. García-París et al, 2003;Reis et al, 2011;Beukema et al, 2016), our analyses confirm that S. s. gallaica consists of at least three genetically distinct sublineages in western Iberia, and future taxonomic revisions may reveal the current synonym molleri to apply to one of the Portuguese genetic clusters currently included in gallaica.…”

Integrative inference of population history in the Ibero-Maghrebian endemic Pleurodeles waltl (Salamandridae)

“…The split between them occurred in the Pleistocene (TMRCA median: 0785 Ka, 95%HPDi: 0.44-1.79 Mya). This phylogeographic break is present in many other taxa, including plants (Trindade et al, 2012;Caldas, 2013), invertebrates (Mendes, 1992;Serrano, 1995;Barat, 2013), fish (Mesquita et al, 2005(Mesquita et al, , 2007, amphibians (Martínez-Solano et al, 2006;Gonçalves et al, 2009;Reis et al, 2011), reptiles (Godinho et al, 2008), and mammals (Centeno-Cuadros et al, 2009). This shared break has been associated to the formation of the Serra do Caldeirão mountain range during the lower Pliocene (Gonçalves et al, 2009).…”

Reconstruction of two colonisation pathways of Mantis religiosa (Mantodea) in Germany using four mitochondrial markers

“…The German M. religiosa populations were too small to sample a sufficient number of individuals for microsatellite analyses. Yet, mitochondrial markers have been successfully applied to study recent range expansions of species (Scataglini et al 2006;Barr 2009;Zitari-Chatti et al 2009;Hammouti et al 2010;Li et al 2011;Reis et al 2011).…”