Phylogeography of the Liolaemidae lizards: Reconstructing the past of a remarkable
adaptive radiation
Manuel Jara, Marcello Ruta & Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
ABSTRACT
The evolutionary history of lineages leaves signatures of events that occurred during the different
stages of their radiations. The development of molecular phylogenetics and of computational tools
for bioclimatic modeling have made it possible to estimate these events via ancestral
reconstructions based on present day traits and selection regimes. In this context, highly diverse
lineages that have undergone active radiations provide ideal models to investigate the way
biodiversity proliferates over time and across environments. The lizard family Liolaemidae embodies
one such case. Having invaded all possible environments in central and southern South America,
some unusual phylogenetic and evolutionary imbalances have emerged since their origin <30Mya.
While Liolaemidae contains one of the world’s most exceptional examples of adaptive radiation
(Liolaemus), it also contains an emerging case of non-adaptive radiation (Phymaturus), and the
basal clade consists of a single species (Ctenoblepharys adspersa). Here, we employ phylogenetic
and paleoclimatic modeling to reconstruct the radiation history of this clade. We show that the most
likely centre of origin is Coastal Peru, and that the subsequent radiation expanded predominantly
southwards. Large-scale changes in the bioclimatic and geological composition of the continent are
regarded to have played major roles in the prolific diversification of these lizards.