Phylogeny, time divergence, and historical biogeography of the South American group (Iguania: Liolaemidae).

The genus comprises more than 260 species and can be divided in two subgenera: and . In this paper, we present a phylogenetic analysis, divergence times, and ancestral distribution ranges of the group ( subgenus). We inferred a total evidence phylogeny combining molecular ( and genes) and morphological characters using Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference. Divergence times were calculated using Bayesian MCMC with an uncorrelated lognormal distributed relaxed clock, calibrated with a fossil record. Ancestral ranges were estimated using the Dispersal-Extinction-Cladogenesis (DEC-Lagrange). Effects of some parameters of DEC were also tested. Distribution ranged from central Perú to southern Argentina, including areas at sea level up to the high Andes. The group was recovered as monophyletic, formed by two clades: and , the latter can be split in two groups. Additionally, many species candidates were recognized. We estimate that the group diversified 14.5 Myr ago, during the Middle Miocene. Our results suggest that the ancestor of the group was distributed in a wide area including Patagonia and Puna highlands. The speciation pattern follows the South-North Diversification Hypothesis, following the Andean uplift.