Diversification and Evolutionary Histories of Patagonian Steppe Lizards

Abstract

During the last two decades, regional exploration coupled with dense geographic sampling, new molecular techniques, and phylogeographic approaches have led to the discovery of unexpected hidden diversity. These data have expanded inferences about evolutionary and demographic processes to explain patterns of geographic genetic distribution, phylogenetic history, and morphological characteristics. This chapter summarizes current knowledge of species boundaries and possible underlying processes, highlighting the extent of hybridization and its possible role for the lack of strongly supported phylogenetic relationships within several species groups.