Morphological and genetic evidence of the full species status of Iberolacerta cyreni martinezricai (Arribas, 1996)

Abstract

Iberolacerta cyreni martinezricai is elevated to the species level (I. martinezricai) based on both morphological and molecular data. The phylogenetic analysis using two mitochondrial and one nuclear gene shows I. martinezricai is more closely related to I. monticola than to I. cyreni. A multivariate analysis of the morphological data also supports the affinities between I. martinezricai and I. monticola but, at the same time, clearly indicates that I. martinezricai is morphologically distinct from both I. monticola and I. cyreni. The molecular data suggests I. cyreni and the clade formed by I. monticola + I. martinezricai split approximately 6.1 Mya, during the Mesinian Salinity Crisis, when climatic conditions around the Mediterranean area changed dramatically as a result of the desiccation of the Mediterranean Sea. Separation between I. martinezricai and I. monticola occurred approximately 2 Mya but, with at least two equally plausible alternative hypotheses, their biogeography is still unclear. New data on the habitat and distribution of I. martinezricai indicates its distribution area is very small (12 15 km 2 ), and that it lives in a climatically extreme habitat for this kind of mountain species. As a result of that and the low numbers of individuals, I. martinezricai is considered here as Critically Endangered.