Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research最新文献

{"title":"Locomotor habits and phenotypic evolution of the appendicular skeleton in the oryzomyalian radiation in the Neotropics (Sigmodontinae, Cricetidae, Rodentia)","authors":"William Corrêa Tavares,&nbsp;Ludmilla Carvalho Coutinho,&nbsp;João Alves de Oliveira","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12551","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12551","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sigmodontine rodents colonized South America in Late Miocene or earlier, leading to the clade Oryzomyalia, which rapidly radiated in distinct lineages and occupied almost all continental habitats, in a pattern classically interpreted as an adaptive radiation. Nevertheless, no evidence of strong influence of niche diversification on the evolution of cranial and mandibular morphology, or of deceleration in rates of phenotypic evolution in these structures over time following niche saturation, as expected according to the Ecological Opportunity model, has been detected. Here, we investigated morphometric variation among 59 oryzomyalian species using phylogenetically informed comparative analyses for testing (1) if the diversification of locomotor habits played an important role in shaping the morphology of the appendicular skeleton, and (2) if the disparification of appendicular skeleton showed high rates at the early diversification of Oryzomyalia and then has deaccelerated. Results showed that the different locomotor habits are associated with different shapes in both the forelimb and hindlimb, and selection of evolutionary models suggested that each locomotor habit was associated with their own adaptive optima. Moreover, the most extreme and specialized phenotypes, found in the semifossorial species <i>Geoxus valdivianus</i>, <i>Blarinomys breviceps</i>, and <i>Paynomys macronyx</i>, seem to have appeared after events of acceleration in the rates of morphological evolution. On the other hand, no evidence of a reduction in the rate of evolution over time was detected. The results suggest that the acquisition of different locomotor habits in oryzomyalians was associated with morphological specializations in the appendicular skeleton guided by natural selection and that, especially in the case of the evolution of fossoriality, there was a marked change in evolutionary regimes, generating highly modified phenotypes after acceleration of the pace of morphological changes. Despite the strong association between diversification of locomotor niches and evolution of the appendicular skeleton, the diversification of oryzomyalians does not seem to have experienced niche saturation, as noted in some other adaptive radiation events on Neotropics.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48459686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphology-based phylogeny of Eigenmanniinae Mago-Leccia, 1978 (Teleostei: Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae), with a new classification","authors":"Guilherme Moreira Dutra,&nbsp;Luiz Antônio Wanderley Peixoto,&nbsp;Vitor Pimenta Abrahão,&nbsp;Wolmar Benjamin Wosiacki,&nbsp;Naércio Aquino Menezes,&nbsp;Carlos David de Santana","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12535","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12535","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We advance on the knowledge of Eigenmanniinae by proposing a hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships based on the parsimony analysis of a diverse set of 144 anatomical characters, 12% of them treated as quantitative and 88% treated as qualitative (8% external morphology, 51% osteology, 21% myology, and 8% neuroanatomy). Thirty-seven of 45 valid species of Eigenmanniinae are examined in the study, including the <i>incertae sedis</i> species “<i>Eigenmannia</i>” <i>goajira</i>. The final tree yields new insights on species relationships, thus, producing a new classification to <i>Eigenmanninae</i>. Our analysis recovered the monophyly of Eigenmanniinae, <i>Archolaemus</i>, <i>Eigenmannia</i>, and <i>Rhabdolichops</i>. <i>Eigenmannia</i> is proposed as monophyletic based on four morphological synapomorphies, one of which exclusive to the genus. <i>Japigny</i> is proposed to be the sister group of all remaining Eigenmanniinae and “<i>E</i>.” <i>goajira</i> to be the sister group of <i>Archolaemus</i>. The hypothesis of monophyly of <i>Distocyclus</i> including <i>D</i>. <i>conirostris</i> and <i>D</i>. <i>guchereauae</i> is rejected. Consequently, <i>D</i>. <i>guchereauae</i> is included in <i>Eigenmannia</i>, and a new genus is established to include “<i>E</i>.” <i>goajira</i>. A taxonomic key to all genera is provided. In addition, this study highlights the critical role played by a diverse set of anatomical and quantitative characters without discretization on phylogenetic reconstructions.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49263077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conflicting relationships of Vipera walser inferred from nuclear genes sequences and mitochondrial DNA","authors":"Paul Doniol-Valcroze,&nbsp;Sylvain Ursenbacher,&nbsp;Konrad Mebert,&nbsp;Samuele Ghielmi,&nbsp;Lorenzo Laddaga,&nbsp;Patricia Sourrouille,&nbsp;Mert Kariş,&nbsp;Pierre-André Crochet","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12543","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12543","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The description of <i>Vipera walser</i> from the Northern Italian Alps as a new species (Ghielmi et al., 2016, <i>Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research</i>, 54, 161) was one of the most unexpected surprises of European herpetology in the 21st century. In mitochondrial (mt) DNA, it is closely related to a group of vipers only present in the Caucasus region and Northeastern Anatolia. However, its morphology is similar to the <i>V</i>. <i>berus</i> populations that inhabit nearby mountains in the Swiss-Italian Alps, which raises questions on its relationships and status. We thus sequenced five nuclear (nu) genes to determine the position of <i>V</i>. <i>walser</i> relative to <i>V</i>. <i>berus</i> and to the Caucasian/Northeastern Anatolian vipers in nuDNA. We also reanalyzed five previously sequenced mtDNA fragments. NuDNA markers recovered <i>V</i>. <i>walser</i> as closely related to Italian populations of <i>V</i>. <i>berus</i> and not to the Caucasian/Anatolian species, thus contradicting the mtDNA phylogeny. We checked that each of the five mtDNA fragments independently amplified by Ghielmi et al. (2016, <i>Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research</i>, 54, 161) produced individual gene trees compatible with the concatenated mtDNA phylogeny, thus excluding the hypothesis that NUMTs sequencing generated the mtDNA relationships reported by Ghielmi et al. (2016, <i>Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research</i>, 54, 161). Given the low level of nuclear differentiation between <i>V</i>. <i>walser</i> and the Italian population of <i>V</i>. <i>berus</i>, we argue that ancient admixture between <i>V</i>. <i>berus</i> and the ancestral population of <i>V</i>. <i>walser</i> is the most likely explanation for this case of cyto-nuclear discordance and we discuss the consequences of these results on the systematic status of <i>V</i>. <i>walser</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47141543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evidence of cryptic diversity in Podarcis peloponnesiacus and re-evaluation of its current taxonomy; insights from genetic, morphological, and ecological data","authors":"Athina Kiourtsoglou,&nbsp;Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou,&nbsp;Dimitris Poursanidis,&nbsp;Daniel Jablonski,&nbsp;Petros Lymberakis,&nbsp;Nikos Poulakakis","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12540","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12540","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Peloponnese wall lizard, <i>Podarcis peloponnesiacus</i>, is endemic to the Peloponnese. Although the phylogeny and species diversity of the Balkan species of <i>Podarcis</i> have been extensively studied, the intraspecific relationships of <i>P</i>. <i>peloponnesiacus</i> are not yet well defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the intraspecific diversity in this species and clarify its taxonomic status by analyzing eight gene fragments (two mitochondrial and six nuclear) and several morphological traits, typically used for systematic inferences within the genus <i>Podarcis</i>. Together with ecological niche modeling, we provided an integrative evaluation of the differentiation between lineages. The combination of several phylogenetic, species delimitation, and chronophylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of two highly supported and divergent clades with a distinct geographical and parapatric distribution and high niche overlap. The differentiation of the two clades dates back to the Pleistocene and is probably correlated with the paleogeography of the Peloponnese. These clades also differed in several phenotypic traits, which, however, exhibit extensive overlap and are not fully diagnostic. The combination of the above results allowed us to identify the two revealed clades as distinct species.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42938326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of Pleistocene climatic oscillations on genetic differentiation and evolutionary history of the Transvolcanic deer mouse Peromyscus hylocetes (Rodentia: Cricetidae) throughout the Mexican central highlands","authors":"M. Ángel León-Tapia,&nbsp;Yessica Rico,&nbsp;Jesús A. Fernández,&nbsp;Elizabeth Arellano,&nbsp;Alejandro Espinosa de los Monteros","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12541","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12541","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Highlands are the most heterogeneous and complex biogeographic regions of Mexico. Species inhabiting these regions have been exposed to geologic events and climatic fluctuations in the past causing limited historical gene flow that resulted in structured genetic variation and high endemism. We examined the genetic variation of the mouse <i>Peromyscus hylocetes</i> throughout its geographic distribution within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TVB), to estimate its current environmental suitability, habitat connectivity, and to reconstruct its evolutionary history by inferring the role of past events and abiotic factors. Two main genetic clusters corresponding to the west and east range of the species distribution were detected. Gene flow occurred largely from the west to the east cluster. <i>Peromyscus hylocetes</i> and <i>P</i>. <i>aztecus</i> diverged during the Pliocene–Pleistocene at the central-south region of the TVB. We hypothesized that after this divergence, <i>P</i>. <i>hylocetes</i> colonized the TVB during the Pleistocene and later expanded its distribution to the western TVB. Due to the climatic oscillations in the late Pleistocene, populations were restricted in western TVB during the warmer periods, and displacements occurred during colder periods from the west to the central TVB on several episodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42978300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatio-temporal genetic structure in populations of the Chagas’ disease vector Triatoma infestans from Argentina","authors":"Alicia Raquel Pérez de Rosas,&nbsp;María Florencia Restelli,&nbsp;Beatriz Alicia García","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12552","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12552","url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Triatoma infestans</i> (Hemiptera, Reduvidae) is the main vector of Chagas disease in South America between the latitudes 10° and 46° S. The analysis of the spatial genetic structure of populations at fine scale can provide insight into the dynamic population and evolutionary process of <i>T. infestans</i> and a complementary approach to help improve vector control strategies. Spatio-temporal analysis of the genetic structure of <i>T. infestans</i> populations was performed using inter-simple sequence repeats markers. A total of 242 polymorphic bands were detected from 234 individuals captured in different houses from the locality of San Martín and in one surrounding area (Capayan department, Catamarca province, Argentina) in October 2007 and May 2010. Significant levels of genetic differentiation were detected among the collection sites in both temporal samples, including the different sampled sites within the same house. These results confirm a high degree of subdivision in <i>T. infestans</i> populations. Comparative analysis between the first and the second sample indicated that they form two different groups. The genetic differentiation level was higher among samples from the second capture compared to the first. It is probable that in subdivided populations, when restricted gene flow is sustained over time, the genetic drift leads to accentuate the differentiation among subpopulations. The spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated that the dispersion range could occur around 500–550 m. Therefore, the probability of reinfestation by active dispersal of the insect could be reduced by implementing control and surveillance within an approximate radius of 500–550 m around the infested area.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42545671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The correlation between wing interference patterns and body size in Coniceromyia Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae) and its implications to the understanding of the former as a sexually selected trait","authors":"Danilo César Ament","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12550","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12550","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wing interference patterns (WIPs) are stable structural color reflections of insect transparent wings. The WIP colors are the result of thin-film interference and vary according to wing thickness and other wing characteristics. These patterns have been thought to play a display role during courtship. Recent empirical studies concluded that WIPs affect male drosophilid attractiveness and that WIP evolution is driven by sexual selection. However, these studies did not account for body size variation, a variable that has been demonstrated to be sexually selected and that may be related to wing thickness and WIP color. I consider herein the possibility that body size could be the trait being selected in these studies, and not the WIPs, with the latter being indirectly selected. A first step to consider this alternative hypothesis would be to demonstrate the correlation between WIPs and body size. I analyzed whether such correlation exists through the phylogenetic tree of the genus <i>Coniceromyia</i> (Diptera: Phoridae) by comparing evolutionary models assuming dependent and independent evolution of both traits. I also investigated whether WIPs are correlated to body size within two species of this genus. Strong evidence was found in favor of the correlation between WIPs and body size in the tree analyzed and within one of the two species. If these results are confirmed as a general pattern, the signaling role of WIPs and their direct relation to sexual selection may be questioned by the alternative hypothesis that body size could be the sexually selected trait in recent studies' experiments.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43777010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brain morphological adaptations of Gambusia affinis along climatic gradients in China","authors":"Mengyu Liu,&nbsp;Yanqiu Liu,&nbsp;Xiaoqin Wang,&nbsp;He Wang","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12544","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12544","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many studies have confirmed the impact of the environment on the brain. However, it is still controversial whether the cause of the change is phenotypically plastic or heritable. In this study, we studied morphological variations of the brain among <i>Gambusia affinis</i> obtained from 10 different populations in China. We found that the sizes of total brain and brain regions were affected by climatic gradients. For instance, there was a decrease in the volume of olfactory bulbs, optic tectum, corpus cerebelli, and total brain from north to south. Common-garden experiments indicated that the variations in the sizes of the hypothalamus and the total brain were heritable, while that of other brain regions were phenotypically plastic. Variation in brain morphology of wild fish supports the mosaic hypothesis. The common-garden experiments provide a reference for heritability estimates and phenotypic plasticity of brain volumes. In addition, our study has laid the foundation for in-depth research on the adaptive evolution of the brain of <i>G</i>. <i>affinis</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45469258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High molecular variability in three pine vole species of the subgenus Terricola (Microtus, Arvicolinae) and plausible source of polymorphism","authors":"Alexey S. Bogdanov,&nbsp;Lyudmila A. Khlyap,&nbsp;Haluk Kefelioğlu,&nbsp;Ahmet Y. Selçuk,&nbsp;Valery V. Stakheev,&nbsp;Marina I. Baskevich","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12539","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12539","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We studied molecular variability to clarify intraspecific differentiation and phylogenetic relationships in three pine vole species (genus <i>Microtus</i>, subgenus <i>Terricola</i>): <i>Microtus subterraneus</i>, <i>Microtus daghestanicus</i>, and <i>Microtus majori</i>. Multilocus analysis was performed using the entire mitochondrial <i>cytb</i> gene and fragments of nuclear <i>BRCA1</i>, <i>IRBP</i>, and <i>XIST</i> genes. Results confirmed separation of the species, especially <i>M</i>. <i>majori</i> compared with <i>M</i>. <i>daghestanicus</i> and <i>M</i>. <i>subterraneus</i>. These species showed different molecular polymorphism in the genetic markers. We identified two close forms of <i>M</i>. <i>majori</i>, differing in <i>cytb</i> gene and the nuclear gene <i>XIST</i>; one form inhabits the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, another the Transcaucasia. Separation of <i>M</i>. <i>daghestanicus</i> populations from North Ossetia and the others was clear. <i>Microtus subterraneus</i> populations from southern Europe and Asia Minor were characterized by maximal genetic heterogeneity; the specimen from Samsun (northern Asia Minor) appeared to be most distant from the others. Despite polymorphism in the chromosome number in <i>M</i>. <i>subterraneus</i> populations from the East European Plain, they possess a depleted gene pool. Results indicated that <i>M</i>. <i>subterraneus</i> colonized the East European Plain in the Holocene, and chromosome variability originated in this part of the species' range as a result of chromosomal fission and quick fixation of the arrangement in northern populations. We argue that differences in the genetic differentiation patterns of <i>Terricola</i> species are mainly due to their ecological peculiarities.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45051831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrative taxonomy reveals two species and intraspecific differentiation in the Vipera latastei–monticola complex","authors":"Fernando Martínez-Freiría,&nbsp;Inês Freitas,&nbsp;Guillermo Velo-Antón,&nbsp;Nahla Lucchini,&nbsp;Soumia Fahd,&nbsp;Said Larbes,&nbsp;Juan M. Pleguezuelos,&nbsp;Xavier Santos,&nbsp;José C. Brito","doi":"10.1111/jzs.12534","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jzs.12534","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Modern taxonomy relies on the unified species concept and integrative approaches to delimit evolutionary coherent taxa. The western Mediterranean vipers within the <i>Vipera latastei–monticola</i> complex (<i>Vipera latastei</i> and <i>Vipera monticola</i>) have a rather old taxonomic history marked by the prevalence of morphological criteria in the recognition of taxonomic units. Recent phylogenetic inferences, however, contradict this taxonomic scenario, highlighting the need of integrative studies to properly evaluate the taxonomy of this complex. Here, we apply an integrative taxonomic approach, combining phylogeographic, morphological, and ecological analyses, to identify and describe evolutionary coherent taxonomic units within the <i>Vipera latastei–monticola</i> complex. Using dated mtDNA phylogenetic relationships, we spatially delimit two levels of evolutionary units, which are the subject of morphological and ecological comparisons. The first level corresponds to two Miocene vicariant clades, with considerable morphological distinctiveness that we identified as different species: <i>V</i>. <i>latastei</i> in the Iberian Peninsula, and <i>V</i>. <i>monticola</i> in North Africa. The second level corresponds to three Pliocene parapatric lineages within each of these species, which we recognized with subspecific status due to non-apparent geographic isolation and variable levels of phenotypic distinctiveness. Consequently, we propose distributional rearrangements in the previously recognized taxa, as well as define three new subspecies: <i>Vipera latastei arundana</i> ssp. nov. in southern Iberia, <i>Vipera monticola atlantica</i> ssp. nov. in the western High Atlas Mountains and <i>Vipera monticola saintgironsi</i> ssp. nov. in the eastern High Atlas, Middle Atlas, Rif, Tellian Atlas and Aurès Mountains. Our proposed taxonomic scenario anticipates important outcomes for the conservation status of these Mediterranean taxa.</p>","PeriodicalId":54751,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2021-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44336235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}