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Photograph of an adult female Platyrrhinus guianensis captured at Bakhuis, Sipaliwini, Suriname on 31 January 2006 (ROM 117503). Photograph by Alex Borisenko.
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A new species of broad-nosed bat Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae) from the Guianan Shield is described based on molecular and morphological data. Previously confused with P. helleri and P. recifinus, the new taxon is currently known from only Guyana and Suriname and is most closely related to P. recifinus fr...
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... Platyrrhinus guianensis is a small Platyrrhinus (FA 37-41 mm) distinguished from its sister species P. recifinus by its smaller size and shorter skull ( pinnae bright yellow (Fig. 4); lateral borders of the proximal half of the noseleaf and borders of the horseshoe yellow; inferior border of the horseshoe completely free of upper lip; posterior margin of uropatagium has the shape of an inverted 'U'; hair on upper surface of feet brown, long and dense (Fig. 5); fringe of hair along the trailing margin of uropatagium ...
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Pteronotus personatus (Wagner, 1843) is a mormoopid bat commonly called Wagner’s mustached bat. A small bat, fully furred, it is 1 of 6 species in the genus Pteronotus. This species ranges from the most tropical regions of Mexico to South America across northern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana and through northwestern Colombia, and i...
Platyrrhinus guianensis is bat with a distribution restricted to the Guiana Region of South America in Guyana and Suriname. Herein, we report the southernmost record of this species, extending its distribution to Brazil in Brazilian Amazon. Our record indicates that the species have a larger geographical range that previously thought. Platyrrhinus...
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... One of the 25 species (Platyrrhinus angustirostris) was not present in the phylogeny and was replaced by its closest congener (P. incarum) (Velazco & Lim, 2014). This supertree covered most of the species in the Llanos and was pruned to obtain the local phylogeny (R package 'picante'; Kembel et al., 2010) and the respective pairwise phylogenetic distances using the 'cophenetic.phylo' ...
Understanding the impacts of habitat conversion on species assemblages across multiple biodiversity dimensions (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic) and spatial scales is pivotal for implementing effective conservation strategies. Here, we surveyed phyllostomid bats using mist nets in riparian and unflooded forests, flooded savannahs, and conventional rice fields to investigate how changes in habitat quality affect multifaceted diversity from two Colombian farming systems in the Orinoco Llanos: traditional farmlands with high-intensity agriculture (mainly rice production) and Civil Society Nature Reserves with greater ecosystem protection. We used a unified framework based on Hill numbers for quantifying bat taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and modeled the relationship of these diversity facets with landscape variables (habitat cover and patch density) across three spatial scales (0.5, 1.5, 3 km) using Bayesian generalized linear mixed-effect models. Our results indicate that increasing human activity toward rice monocultures representative of traditional farmlands negatively affected all diversity facets. In contrast, forested habitats associated mainly with riparian forests within private reserves contained higher taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity tan savannahs and rice fields. However, the differences between riparian forests and rice crops were significant only for phylogenetic diversity, indicating loss of evolutionary history after habitat conversion. At the landscape scale, forest cover was a significant predictor for functional (0.5- and 3-km scale) and phylogenetic diversity (0.5 km), and bats responded negatively at the 3-km scale to rice patch density from a functional diversity perspective. Increasing habitat quality through preserving forest cover and patches should minimize the harmful effects of habitat conversion on multidimensional bat biodiversity. Furthermore, the conservation of riparian forests and the creation of more wildlife-friendly farming, as practiced in the reserves, should be prioritized to ensure high levels of bat taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity across Orinoco countryside landscapes.
... Han sido excluidas de esta actualización 13 especies, dos entran en sinonimia: Platyrrhinus nigellus (Gardner & Carter, 1972), sinónimo junior de P. umbratus (Lyon, 1902) (Velazco & Solari 2003, Velazco et al. 2010, Velazco & Lim 2014; y Cynomops paranus (omas, 1901), incluida en C. planirostris (Peters, 1866), (Moras et al. 2016). Once no tienen distribución en el país: Pteronotus parnelli (Gray, 1843), especie endémica de las islas de Cuba y Jamaica (Pavan & Marroig 2016); Tonatia saurophila Koopman Williams, 1951, restringida a su localidad tipo en Jamaica y posiblemente extinta en la actualidad (Basantes et al. 2020); Sturnira ludoici Anthony, 1924 con registros en Colombia y Ecuador; S. lilium (É. ...
An updated list of mammals recorded in Venezuela is presented, comprising 409 species categorized in 14 orders, 49 families
and 193 genera. is represents an increase of 2 families, 9 genera and 19 species with respect to the list published in
2012; a total of 33 (8.0%) species are endemic to the country. e most diverse orders are Chiroptera (42.3%) and Rodentia
(25%), which together account for two-thirds (67%) of the total number of species. Since the last national compilation,
16 new species were described, 36 taxonomic changes were accepted, 7 new geographic records were included and 40
species were excluded. Of the 6,544 living species registered worldwide, 6.3% have populations in the country. Of the species
evaluated by the IUCN (2023) and the Red Book of Venezuelan Fauna (2015), a total of 28 (6.8%) and 60 (14.3%)
respectively, are classied within some category of global threat. In this work, the criteria established by Sánchez & Lew
(2012) were followed, while various scientic publications were reviewed and national and international databases were
consulted. e purpose of this update is to contribute to the inventory of the country’s biological diversity and to serve as
a technical reference document for the study of the threats faced by its ecosystems.
... One of the 20 phyllostomid species (Platyrrhinus angustirostris) was not present in the phylogeny and was replaced by its closest congener (P. incarum) (Velazco and Lim 2014). The supertree was pruned to obtain the local phylogeny (R package 'picante', Kembel et al. 2010) and the pairwise phylogenetic distances ('cophenetic.phylo' ...
Which functional traits allow a bat species to survive habitat disturbance? Empirical evidence regarding this question remains limited for many tropical regions despite their importance for conservation. Here, we used body mass, wing morphology, trophic level, and diet to identify which traits make phyllostomid bat species more vulnerable to human impacts in the Colombian Orinoco Llanos. Bats were sampled using mist nets in riparian forests, unflooded forests, flooded savannahs, and conventional rice crops on traditional farmlands with high-intensity agriculture and in private reserves with greater ecosystem protection. We tested the associations between species traits and landscape-structure variables (habitat cover and type, number of habitat patches, shortest distance to water) using RLQ and fourth-corner analyses, accounting for both spatial and phylogenetic autocorrelation. Trophic level and diet were the most important traits linked to disturbance sensitivity. Our results indicated that rice crop cover, savannah patches, and altered unflooded forest act as a filter, benefiting disturbance-adapted frugivorous genera in farmlands (e.g., Ar-
tibeus spp., Carollia spp., Platyrrhinus spp., Uroderma spp.). Conversely, animalivorous species were strongly associated with savannah cover and riparian forests within reserves (e.g., Lampronycteris brachyotis, Lophostoma brasiliense, Micronycteris minuta, Trachops cirrhosus). Encouraging the creation of more wildlife-friendly landscapes through payments for ecosystem services across the Colombian Llanos will ensure the long-term persistence of disturbance-sensitive species and sustain a complete set of ecological functions and ecosystem services that these bats provide.
... The set of publications used to build the matrix had taxonomic uncertainties partially owing to the changes in taxonomy over time, and we revised the species taxonomy to standardize our database, following Wilson and Mittermeier (2019) and Garbino et al. (2020a, b), and made some decisions prior to running the analyses, e.g., we did not include the species not identified and noted as "sp." or conferatum (cf.). We also changed names to align them with recent taxonomic proposals, such as records of Pteronotus parnellii which were assumed to represent P. rubiginosus, and most records of Platyrrhinus helleri being assigned to P. incarum, following Velazco et al. (2010), Velazco and Lim (2014) and GBIF records (www.gbif.org). ...
... Phylogeographic analyzes of Artibeus obscurus based on mitochondrial cytochrome b data differentiated three main clades containing individuals from Peru, Atlantic Forest locations and Brazilian Amazonian locations, with different degrees of populational structure within the clades formed by Brazilian phylogroups . Platyrrhinus material from Amazonian Brazil needs to be extensively reviewed in the light of recent revisions (e.g., Velazco and Patterson 2008;Velazco et al. 2010) and descriptions of new species, such as P. guianensis (Velazco and Lim 2014) that has a known distribution restricted to the Guiana Shield. ...
Neotropical bats are known for their extraordinary taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, and for the ecosystem services they provide through seed dispersal, pollination, and control of insect populations. This diversity is unarguably unique in the Amazon, and hitherto there are many gaps in the knowledge of these spectacular mammals throughout this biome. We herein conducted a broad analysis with tests of the heterogeneity in bat species distribution across the Amazon biome and focused on a systematic review of the accomplishments and continuing gaps in the last 10 years of research related to bats in Brazilian Amazonia, which constitutes approximately 60% of the Amazon basin. The analysis of 3771 occurrence records, belonging to 184 bat species and distributed in 104 localities across all Amazonian biogeographic subregions, bolsters the idea that the Guianas, the Eastern and the Western Amazon regions have distinct bat faunal compositions, which can be explained by evolutionary history. For the Brazilian Amazon, we confirmed records for 144 species and 63 genera, including 34 endemics. Our knowledge of bats in the Brazilian Amazon has improved, but it is highly heterogeneous, biased toward forested areas rather than other ecosystems such as Campinas, Campinaranas, and Cangas.
... The Neotropical bat genus Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 is one of the most specious phyllostomid genus (Palacios-Mosquera et al. 2020). Nineteen species are currently recognized in this genus distributed from southern Mexico to northern Argentina (Gardner 2008;Palacios-Mosquera et al. 2020;Velazco and Lim 2014;Velazco et al. 2018). Out of the 19 recognized species, eight occur in Brazil: Platyrrhinus angustirostris Velazco et al., 2010, Platyrrhinus aurarius (Handley andFerris, 1972), Platyrrhinus brachycephalus (Rouk and Carter, 1972), Platyrrhinus fusciventris Velazco et al., 2010, Platyrrhinus incarum (Thomas, 1912, Platyrrhinus infuscus (Peters, 1880), Platyrrhinus lineatus (É. ...
... Out of the 19 recognized species, eight occur in Brazil: Platyrrhinus angustirostris Velazco et al., 2010, Platyrrhinus aurarius (Handley andFerris, 1972), Platyrrhinus brachycephalus (Rouk and Carter, 1972), Platyrrhinus fusciventris Velazco et al., 2010, Platyrrhinus incarum (Thomas, 1912, Platyrrhinus infuscus (Peters, 1880), Platyrrhinus lineatus (É. Geoffroy, 1810), and Platyrrhinus recifinus (Thomas, 1901) (Garbino et al. 2022;Rocha et al. 2018;Velazco and Gardner 2009;Velazco and Lim 2014;Velazco et al. 2018). Of these, P. angustirostris, P. brachycephalus, P. fusciventris and P. incarum occur in sympatry at Brazilian Amazon. ...
... Platyrrhinus guianensis is endemic of Guiana Region of South America (that include Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana), and the southeastern states of Venezuela (Amazonas, Bolivar, and Delta Amacuro) (Lim 2012; Velazco and Lim 2014), known from Guyana and Suriname (Figure 1; Velazco and Lim 2014). Before its description, P. guianensis was considered the northernmost and allopatric population of P. recifinus (Tavares and Velazco 2010). ...
Platyrrhinus guianensis is bat with a distribution restricted to the Guiana Region of South America in Guyana and Suriname. Herein, we report the southernmost record of this species, extending its distribution to Brazil in Brazilian Amazon. Our record indicates that the species have a larger geographical range that previously thought. Platyrrhinus guianensis occurs in sympatry with Platyrrhinus brachycephalus, Platyrrhinus incarum, and Platyrrhinus fusciventris in the Brazilian Amazon, and can be confused with these species, raising the possibility that there might be other specimens of Platyrrhinus guianensis misidentified as other species in scientific collections.
... The Neotropical bat genus Platyrrhinus is one of the most speciose phyllostomid genera (Simmons and Cirranello 2022). Members of the genus, also known as broad-nosed bats, are widely distributed from Mexico to northern Argentina, with most species found in the Andes region (Velazco and Patterson 2008;Velazco and Gardner 2009;Velazco and Lim 2014;Velazco et al. 2018;Palacios-Mosquera et al. 2020). Over the past two decades, numerous taxonomic changes have been made within the genus, and only since 2005, recognized diversity increased from ten to nineteen species, nearly doubling the number of taxa (Simmons 2005;Simmons and Cirranello 2022;Velazco 2005;Velazco and Gardner 2009;Velazco and Lim 2014;Velazco et al. 2018;Palacios-Mosquera et al. 2020). ...
... Members of the genus, also known as broad-nosed bats, are widely distributed from Mexico to northern Argentina, with most species found in the Andes region (Velazco and Patterson 2008;Velazco and Gardner 2009;Velazco and Lim 2014;Velazco et al. 2018;Palacios-Mosquera et al. 2020). Over the past two decades, numerous taxonomic changes have been made within the genus, and only since 2005, recognized diversity increased from ten to nineteen species, nearly doubling the number of taxa (Simmons 2005;Simmons and Cirranello 2022;Velazco 2005;Velazco and Gardner 2009;Velazco and Lim 2014;Velazco et al. 2018;Palacios-Mosquera et al. 2020). Simmons (2005) recognized subspecies in three Platyrrhinus species (e. g., helleri [helleri and incarum], lineatus [lineatus and nigellus], and umbratus [aquilus, oratus, and umbratus]). ...
The taxonomy of Neotropical bats is constantly changing, with new species being described and junior synonyms elevated, while other taxa are relegated to junior synonyms or subspecies. The genus Platyrrhinus has followed this trend, with some issues persisting about the current status of its subspecies. Here we evaluate variation in cranial shape and size based on geometric morphometric analyses of Platyrrhinus dorsalis and P. umbratus. P. dorsalis occurs at elevations from sea level to above 2,000 m and is found from southern Panama southward into Colombia and along both slopes of the Andes in Ecuador. P. umbratus occurs at elevations from 400 m to above 3,150 m in the Andean from Colombia south through Bolivia and Caribbean Mountain systems of Venezuela and Colombia. Our analyses did not support the recognition of subspecies in either species. The difference in skull size and shape between populations of P. dorsalis is associated with elevation, suggesting that this species exhibits an altitudinal clinal variation, with individuals being larger in the lower elevation and smaller in higher elevations. In P. umbratus the difference in skull size and shape between populations is associated with a latitudinal cline, with individuals tending to be larger in the northern part of their range. Our analyses did not reveal the existence of secondary sexual variation in P. dorsalis nor in P. umbratus.
... Lophostoma sp.). We also considered Platyrrhinus angustirostris, P. fusciventris, P. guianensis, P. incarum, P. infuscus and P. helleri as Platyrrhinus spp., because the first five species were recognised as P. helleri until 2010 (Velazco et al., 2010;Velazco & Lim, 2014). ...
... Lonchophyllinae, respectively, as this represents the most basal division within the branch of these genera. For Platyrrhinus spp., we considered the phylogenetic data for Platyrrhinus brachycephalus, one of the most basal species within that genus (Velazco & Lim, 2014). ...
Aim: We evaluated the relative importance of geographical and environment variables for taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional β-diversity of phyllostomid bats along the entire Amazon biome and specifically in the lowlands. Location: Amazon biome.
Taxon: Chiroptera.
Methods: We carried out a bibliographic review and compiled a wide and unprecedented database of 106 phyllostomid bat species at 102 sites throughout the Amazon biome. For all possible pairs of sites in both datasets, we estimated the Jaccard pair-wise dissimilarity, that is, β-diversity, considering its three dimensions-taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional-for its two components-turnover (substitution of species) and differences in species richness. The association between dissimilarity measurements and geographical and environment variables was assessed using multiple regressions on distance matrices (MRM).
Results: We found that turnover and differences in species richness had similar contributions to the taxonomic β-diversity. However, for phylogenetic and functional β-diversity, lineages and functions richness differences contribute slightly more than turnover for total β-diversity. In the lowlands, species, lineages and functions richness differences were slightly higher than turnover for all diversity dimensions. When accounting for all the sites, elevation was the main predictor of phyllostomid bats' taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional turnover. For lowland sites, ecoregions was the main (but relatively weak) predictor associated with all β-diversity dimensions.
Main conclusions: Analysis of filtering sites according to elevation revealed that species in the Amazonian lowlands are taxonomically and phylogenetically different from species in the Andes, and present taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional redundancy between assemblages. When accounting for the whole range of distribution of bats, results showed the predominant effect of elevation over other geographical and environmental predictors. This indicates that the diversity of good dispersers such as bats is more affected by specialisation along environment and climatic gradients than by geographical barriers throughout the Amazon biome.
... The genus Platyrrhinus is a widely distributed Neotropical genus that includes 19 currently recognized species (Palacios-Mosquera et al., 2020). Species of Platyrrhinus can be distinguished from other stenodermatines by the following combination of characteristics: presence of a fringe of hair along the trailing margin of the uropatagium; facial and dorsal stripes present; rostrum approximately as wide as, and almost as long as the braincase; large inner upper incisors that are convergent at the tips; upper outer incisors bifid, less than half the length of inner incisors; two accessory cusps on the posterior face of the second upper premolar; and presence of three upper and lower molars (Gardner, 2008f;Velazco and Lim, 2014). Velazco andGardner (2009) andVelazco et al. (2010a) provided key to the species of Platyrrhinus based on external and craniodental characters. ...
... Identification: Platyrrhinus angustirostris can be distinguished from conspecific species by the following characteristics: long, dense fur on dorsal surface of feet; U-shaped posterior margin of uropatagium; metacarpal V shorter than metacarpal III; fossa on the squamosal root of the zygomatic arch shallow; three cuspules on posterior cristid of the second upper premolar; M1 protocone well developed; stylar cuspule absent on lingual face of M2 paracone; and m2 hypoconid absent (Velazco et al., 2010a). Descriptions and measurements of P. angustiros tris were provided by Velazco et al. (2010a) and Velazco and Lim (2014). No subspecies are currently recognized (Velazco et al., 2010a). ...
... It can be distinguished from other congeneric species by the following characteristics: small size (forearm <42 mm), U-shaped notch in posterior margin of uropatagium, outline of lateral margin of pterygoid process narrowly concave (small and c-shaped) in posterior view, and anterolingual cristid of the second lower premolar bearing two well-developed accessory cuspulids (Velazco, 2005;Velazco et al., 2010a;López-Baucells et al., 2018). Descriptions and measurements of P. brachycephalus were provided by Rouk and Carter (1972), Swanepoel and Genoways (1979), Williams and Genoways (1980a), Brosset and Charles-Dominique (1990), Velazco (2005), Velazco et al. (2010a), and Velazco and Lim (2014). Two subspecies are currently recognized: P. b. brachycephalus (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia) and P. b. saccharus (northeastern Venezuela and the Guianas) (Gardner, 2008f). ...
In this report, the fourth of our monographic series on mammalian diversity and Matses ethnomammalogy in the Yavarí-Ucayali interfluvial region of northeastern Peru, we document the occurrence of 98 species of bats, including 11 emballonurids, 2 noctilionids, 66 phyllostomids, 1 furipterid, 4 thyropterids, 7 vespertilionids, and 7 molossids. New species based on specimens collected in this region (Peropteryx pallidoptera, Micronycteris matses, Hsunycteris dashe, Sturnira giannae, and Thyroptera wynneae) have already been described elsewhere, but noteworthy distributional and taxonomic results newly reported here include the first specimen of Diclidurus isabella from Peru and the diagnosis of Glossophaga bakeri as a species distinct from G. commissarisi. Lists of examined voucher specimens, identification criteria, essential taxonomic references, and summaries of natural history observations are provided for all species. Original natural history information reported herein includes numerous observations of roosting behavior obtained by indigenous Matses collaborators. We assess the Yavarí-Ucayali bat inventory for completeness and conclude that more species remain to be discovered in the region, where as many as 116 species might be expected. Most of the “missing” species (those expected based on geographic criteria but not actually observed) are aerial insectivores, a guild that is notoriously difficult to sample by mistnetting. Of the 98 species in the observed regional fauna, only 71 are known to occur sympatrically at Jenaro Herrera, by far the best-sampled locality between the Yavarí and Ucayali rivers. Faunal comparisons with extralimital inventories (e.g., from Brazil, Ecuador, and French Guiana) suggest that frugivorous bats are substantially more speciose in western Amazonia than in eastern Amazonia, a result that is consistent with previous suggestions of an east-to-west gradient in the trophic structure of Amazonian mammal faunas. As previously reported, the Matses have only a single name for “bat,” but they recognize the existence of many unnamed local species, which they distinguish on the basis of morphology and behavior. However, by contrast with the well-documented accuracy of Matses observations about primates and other game species, recorded Matses monologs about bat natural history contain numerous factual errors and ambiguities. Linguistic underdifferentiation of bat diversity and inaccurate natural history knowledge are both explained by cultural inattention to small, inedible, and inoffensive nocturnal fauna.
... Only 6 new species (8%) were described based on these four main sources of data (Taylor et al. 2011;Quintela et al. 2014Quintela et al. , 2017, while the most common combinations were molecular, qualitative anatomy and morphometrics (36%) or anatomy and morphometrics (14%). Most molecular studies employed a single mitochondrial marker (cytochrome b -only molecular analyses were performed in 34% of studies), and only a few studies used mitochondrial and nuclear multi locus analyses (Velazco & Lim 2014;Rowe et al. 2014;Travouillon & Phillips 2018). Interestingly, only two studies performed phylogenetic analysis of morphological data, and no study employed coalescent or species delimitation methods. ...
Zootaxa came as a new and innovative publication medium for taxonomy, amidst a scenario of devaluation of this important biological science. After 20 years, it has ascertained itself as one of the main journals in animal taxonomy. However, the contribution of the journal to the taxonomy of Mammalia (mammals), one of the most studied groups of animals with a long-standing, dedicated spectrum of specialized journals (mammalogy), could have been expected as minor. All the current and former editors of the Mammalia section of Zootaxa analyzed the relative contribution of the journal to the description of new species of mammals since 2001. We also analyzed the contribution of Zootaxa by taxon, geographic origin of taxa, and geographic origin of first authors. The taxonomic methodology of authors in species description is described as well as the temporal trends in publications and publication subjects. We highlight the editors’ picks and eventually, the challenges for the future. We found that Zootaxa has had a significant contribution to mammalogy, being the second journal (the first being Journal of Mammalogy) in terms of number of new species described (76; 10.6% of the new mammalian species described between 2001 and 2020). The majority of the new species were described following an integrative taxonomic approach with at least two sources of data (86%). The analysis of published taxa, their geographic origin, and the country of origin of first authors shows a wide coverage and exhaustive representation, except for the species from the Nearctic. We conclude that Zootaxa has likely responded to a repressed demand for an additional taxonomic journal in mammalogy, with as possible appeals the absence of publication fees and an established publication speed. With 246 articles published in the past 20 years, the Mammalia section of Zootaxa embraces a large spectrum of systematic subjects going beyond alpha taxonomy. The challenges for the future are to encourage publications of authors from the African continent, still poorly represented, and from the palaeontology community, as the journal has been open to palaeontology since its early days.
... G. keenani joins more than 20 other new phyllostomid species described since 2010 (e.g. Velazco and Lim 2014). Many of those descriptions were based on molecular phylogenetics data combined with morphological evidence. ...
Molecular genetic data are increasingly used to assist in species identification and delimitation, and provide a powerful tool to detect conservation units (population/s of an organism considered to be different for conservation purposes). In combination with distributional and ecological information, molecular genetic data can contribute to establishing the conservation status of species and populations. Here, we review these applications to rodent species in Argentina, a diverse assemblage of some 200 species. We capitalize on recent efforts to establish the conservation status of mammals in Argentina and combine this information with available molecular genetic data for rodents in this country. This portion of the southern South America offers exceptional cases of population differentiation and species diversification related to a wide and diverse geography, which includes varied landscapes such as the Patagonian steppe, Andean highlands, tropical and subtropical forests, and the Monte and Pampa regions. Many species are data deficient (including no or limited genetic data) and only known from their type localities. Among the remaining species, most have at least some available mitochondrial DNA sequence data and these, coupled with morphological, karyotypic and (less frequently) nuclear DNA sequence or microsatellite data have been instrumental in identifying and delimiting species. In general, multilocus data with the desirable geographical density are lacking for all but a few species that have been studied in greater detail. Studies coupling genetic and ecological data (e.g. landscape or ecological genetics) are limited to a handful of more intensively studied cases. Given that habitat loss and fragmentation are among the major threats for survival of natural populations, assessing the extent of these threatening processes is crucial in conservation management and a priority in studies of conservation biology.
