Diversidade morfológica e molecular do complexo Ameivula ocellifera (SPIX, 1825) (Squamata: Teiidae) em remanescentes de caatinga no nordeste brasileiro

Abstract

Reptiles of the order Squamata include lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians. They represent one of the most diverse lineages among vertebrates, being adapted to varied environments worldwide. Among lizards, the family Teiidae includes 175 species currently found in the Americas. For decades, this family faced classification difficulties due to the polyphyletic genera Ameiva and Cnemidophorus. The proposal of new genera, such as Ameivula, was important to stabilize Teiidae taxonomy. Ameivula ocellifera, the type species of the genus, is found widely in the Northeast and previous studies have revealed cryptic diversity in this species. This study aimed to determine whether specimens of Ameivula cf. ocellifera from the state of Alagoas fit the diagnosis of the species using the tools of integrative taxonomy. Ninety specimens (44 males and 46 females) from seven locations in the state of Alagoas (Maceió, Piaçabuçu, Barra de São Miguel, Craíbas, Marechal Deodoro, Olho D’Água do Casado and Traipu) available in the Coleção Herpetológica do Museu de História Natural da Universidade Federal de Alagoas were included in this study. Thirty morphological characters (13 discrete and 17 continuous) were obtained and analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The specimens fit the diagnosis of the species Ameivula ocellifera. Furthermore, sexual dimorphism was observed in the morphometric characters and the males from Craíbas segregated the morphospace with the other populations. In the molecular analysis, total genomic DNA extraction and amplification of 423 base pairs of a fragment of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene from 23 samples of Ameivula from Alagoas available in the Banco de Tecidos do Museu de História Natural da Universidade Federal de Alagoas were used to reconstruct a phylogenetic hypothesis. The sequences available in Genbank were used and a Bayesian inference was employed. The Ameivula sequenced in this study grouped with the other A. ocellifera sequences from Alagoas, corroborating the morphological data regarding the specific identity of this lizard in Alagoas. This study contributes with new DNA sequences of A. ocellifera from Alagoas, expanding knowledge about the distribution and diversification of the group and reaffirming the relevance of integrative taxonomy, associating morphological and molecular data for the understanding of biological diversity.