Emesis planeca n. comb. (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae): a new combination revealed by molecular evidence with a description of its morphological variation.

We transfer Apodemia planeca R. de la Maza E. J. de la Maza E. 2017 to Emesis as Emesis planeca (R. de la Maza E. J. de la Maza E.) n. comb. based on phylogenetic hypotheses estimated with one mtDNA and two nDNA markers. This is a rare and poorly known metalmark, endemic to the central region of Balsas Basin in Michoacán, Mexico, originally described from material collected 23 years ago. Here we analyze new specimens from the type locality not included in the original description. With this new material, we describe the morphological variation of adults, including male and female genitalia. This variation is then discussed and compared with the original description. Emesis planeca n. comb. is restricted to the Tropical Deciduous Forest and the adults fly only in the dry season. Due to the spatial, temporal, and ecological rareness of Emesis planeca n. comb., considering it has not been collected in more than two decades and that the Tropical Deciduous Forest is one of the most threatened habitats in Mexico; we propose assigning a protection status to this species.

Challenges for organismic taxonomical revisions in the age of phylogenomics: A response to Zhang et al. (2019).

Tribe Emesidini Seraphim, Freitas Kaminski (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) is distributed in America from southwest Canada to Brazil and Paraguay, and includes 57 species and 54 subspecies (Callaghan Lamas 2004; Penz DeVries 2006; Gallard 2008; Pelham 2008; De la Maza De la Maza 2017 a,b; Kaminski et al. 2017; Seraphim et al. 2018; Trujano-Ortega et al. 2018; Zhang et al. 2019). The tribe has great taxonomic, morphological and ecological diversity, as well as wide geographic and seasonal variation. This great variation and broad geographic range of some genera entail the need for a taxonomic review (Espeland et al. 2015; Trujano-Ortega et al. 2018).

A partial molecular phylogeny of Rhadinaea and related genera (Squamata, Dipsadidae) with comments on the generic assignment of Rhadinaea eduardoi.

The genus Rhadinaea is a diverse clade of New World dipsadid snakes, with 22 species arranged in six recognized species groups. The most recently described species, Rhadinaea eduardoi, was described based on a unique specimen collected in the Santa Catarina Juquila municipality in the Sierra Madre del Sur of southern Oaxaca, Mexico. Here, based on a reexamination of the holotype and the results of a phylogenetic analysis of the holotype of Rhadinaea eduardoi and representatives of several genera closely related to Rhadinaea, we reassessed the generic assignment of Rhadinaea eduardoi. In our phylogenetic hypothesis, R. eduardoi was nested within a strongly supported clade of Coniophanes fissidens samples, thus making Rhadinaea paraphyletic with respect to Coniophanes. Additionally, our reexamination of the holotype of Rhadinaea eduardoi revealed that the alleged presence of a subpreocular scale is only true on the right side of the head, and that this scale appears to be a malformed preocular scale; also, a reduction in dorsal scale rows is present; and posterior enlarged maxillary teeth are grooved. Herein we consider that Rhadinaea eduardoi should be placed in the synonymy of Coniophanes fissidens. Consequently, we recognized only five species groups within the genus Rhadinaea.

Inferring introgression using RADseq and DFOIL : Power and pitfalls revealed in a case study of spiny lizards (Sceloporus).

Introgression is now commonly reported in studies across the Tree of Life, aided by recent advancements in data collection and analysis. Nevertheless, researchers working with nonmodel species lacking reference genomes may be stymied by a mismatch between available resources and methodological demands. In this study, we demonstrate a fast and simple approach for inferring introgression using RADseq data, and apply it to a case study involving spiny lizards (Sceloporus) from northeastern México. First, we find evidence for recurrent mtDNA introgression between the two focal species based on patterns of mito-nuclear discordance. We then test for nuclear introgression by exhaustively applying the "five-taxon" D-statistic (DFOIL ) to all relevant individuals sampled for RADseq data. In our case, this exhaustive approach (dubbed "ExDFOIL ") entails testing up to ~250,000 unique four-taxon combinations of individuals across species. To facilitate use of this ExDFOIL approach, we provide scripts for many relevant tasks, including the selection of appropriate four-taxon combinations, execution of DFOIL tests in parallel and visualization of introgression results in phylogenetic and geographic space. Using ExDFOIL , we find evidence for ancient introgression between the focal species. Furthermore, we reveal geographic variation in patterns of introgression that is consistent with patterns of mito-nuclear discordance and with recurrent introgression. Overall, our study demonstrates that the combination of DFOIL and RADseq data can effectively detect introgression under a variety of sampling conditions (for individuals, populations and loci). Importantly, we also find evidence that batch-specific error and linkage in RADseq data may mislead inferences of introgression under certain conditions.

Systematics of the frogs allocated to Sarcohyla bistincta sensu lato (Cope, 1877), with description of a new species from Western Mexico.

A new species of hylid frog is described from the southwestern edge of the Mexican Plateau from the states of Morelos and Mexico through Michoacán and Jalisco, reaching the Sierra Madre Occidental in Sinaloa and western Durango. The new species is part of the widespread Mexican hylid Sarcohyla bistincta (sensu amplo) complex, comprised of S. bistincta, S. pentheter, S. calthula, and S. ephemera. One subspecies of S. bistincta (labeculata) was proposed for an isolated population in Oaxaca. We restrict the group's nominal species, S. bistincta (sensu stricto), to the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico and southward into the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Examination of type material places S. calthula and S. ephemera in the synonymy of S. labeculata (new combination). The species allied to S. bistincta, namely, S. bistincta, S. labeculata, S. pentheter, and the new species described herein, are diagnosed and described following recent suggested taxonomic changes and new available material.

A new rare species of the Rhadinaeadecorata group from the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero, Mexico (Squamata, Colubridae).

A new species of the Rhadinaeadecorata group is described based on two specimens from the Sierra Madre del Sur, Guerrero, Mexico. The new species differs from all other members of the genus Rhadinaea by having: eight supralabials; 149-151 (male) ventrals; 63-77 (male) subcaudals; two large pale nuchal blotches, forming an incomplete collar that occupies two scales laterally and is bissected along the dorsal midline; a postocular pale marking consisting of a well-defined, narrow line beginning behind the upper posterior margin of the eye and extending posteriorly nearly horizontally until connecting with the nuchal blotches; and the dark ground color of the flanks extending to the lateral portion of the ventrals. The large nuchal blotches distinguish the new species from the other members of the R.decorata group, except for R.cuneata and some individuals of R.hesperia (pale nuchal marking one-scale wide in R.marcellae, absent in the other species). The condition of the postocular pale marking distinguishes it from R.cuneata and R.hesperia (postocular pale marking wedge-shaped in R.cuneata, not connected with the pale post-cephalic markings in R.hesperia). Furthermore, the number of subcaudals and the coloration of the lateral portion of the ventrals distinguish it from R.omiltemana and R.taeniata, the remaining congeners found in Guerrero (85-90 in males of R.omiltemana and 91-121 in R.taeniata; dark color of the flanks not reaching ventrals in the former species, occasionally and faintly in R.taeniata). Additionally, a new combination for R.stadelmani is proposed. The new species is the first described in the genus Rhadinaea in more than 40 years.

Two new genera of metalmark butterflies of North and Central America (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae).

Two new genera of Riodinidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera) are described, Neoapodemia Trujano-Ortega, gen. n. (Neoapodemia nais (W. H. Edwards, 1876), comb. n., N. chisosensis Freeman, 1964, comb. n.) and Plesioarida Trujano-Ortega & García-Vázquez, gen. n. (Plesioarida palmerii palmerii (W. H. Edwards, 1870), comb. n., P. palmerii arizona (Austin, [1989]), comb. n., P. palmerii australis (Austin, [1989]), comb. n., P. hepburni hepburni (Godman & Salvin, 1886), comb. n., P. hepburni remota (Austin, 1991), comb. n., P. murphyi (Austin, [1989]), comb. n., P. hypoglauca hypoglauca (Godman & Salvin, 1878), comb. n., P. hypoglauca wellingi (Ferris, 1985), comb. n., P. walkeri (Godman & Salvin, 1886), comb. n., P. selvatica (De la Maza & De la Maza, 2017), comb. n.). Neoapodemia Trujano-Ortega, gen. n. is distributed in the southwestern USA and northeastern Mexico, while Plesioarida Trujano-Ortega & García-Vázquez, gen. n. is present from the southern USA to Central America. Species of these genera were previously classified as Apodemia C. Felder & R. Felder but molecular and morphological evidence separate them as new taxa. Morphological diagnoses and descriptions are provided for both new genera, including the main distinctive characters from labial palpi, prothoracic legs, wing venation and genitalia, as well as life history traits. A molecular phylogeny of one mitochondrial gene (COI) and two nuclear genes (EF-1a and wg) are also presented of most species of Apodemia, Neoapodemia Trujano-Ortega, gen. n., Plesioarida Trujano-Ortega & García-Vázquez, gen. n., and sequences of specimens from all tribes of Riodinidae. We compare the characters of Apodemia, Neoapodemia Trujano-Ortega, gen. n. and Plesioarida Trujano-Ortega & García-Vázquez, gen. n. and discuss the differences that support the description of these new taxa. This is a contribution to the taxonomy of the Riodinidae of North America of which the generic diversity is greater than previously recognized.

Diversity and Resource Use Patterns of Anthophile Insects in Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, Mexico.

Bees and flies are the main pollinators responsible for the maintenance of plant diversity and crop production. Studies of pollinator communities have focused on bees; however, community structures may vary among groups of pollinators. We describe and compare the diversity and resource use patterns of six Apoidea and two Diptera anthophile families in Cuatro Ciénegas in the northeast of Mexico. We sampled insects in two distinct geographic units (valley and mountains) and two seasons (rainy and dry). Spatial and temporal patterns in species composition and abundance of these families were identified and the diversity in each family compared. The spatial and temporal patterns in species composition, diversity, and resource use were different for each family. Overall, diversity was higher during the rainy season. Only fly families and the Andrenidae presented season-specific differences in species composition, in contrast with the other Apoidea. Two bee families visited more plant species per insect species during the rainy season, whereas flies visited the same number of plant species in both seasons. Apidae, Megachilidae, and Bombyliidae visited more plant species in the mountains, while the other families exhibited no differences between the mountains and the valley. The variation in the community structures of each group may reflect distinct life histories, resources needs during larval stages, and foraging behaviors. These differences are relevant in management and conservation programs that could benefit one group of pollinators while harming others with different characteristics. The traits of some families indicate their potential value as pollinators.

New records of bee flies (Diptera, Bombyliidae) from Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, Mexico.

Forty one new records of species of Bombyliidae are reported for Coahuila in northeastern Mexico. Nine of these species are reported for the first time for the country. The specimens were collected in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin and Sierra La Madera mountains during 2007-2013. The modified distributions of species are discussed. The gaps in the distribution of many species suggest an undersampling of this group of insects in the north of Mexico.

Diversification in the Mexican horned lizard Phrynosoma orbiculare across a dynamic landscape.

The widespread montane Mexican horned lizard Phrynosoma orbiculare (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) represents an ideal species to investigate the relative impacts of Neogene vicariance and Quaternary climate change on lineage diversification across the Mexican highlands. We used mitochondrial DNA to examine the maternal history of P. orbiculare and estimate the timing and tempo of lineage diversification. Based on our results, we inferred 11 geographically structured, well supported mitochondrial lineages within this species, suggesting P. orbiculare represents a species complex. Six divergences between lineages likely occurred during the Late Miocene and Pliocene, and four splits probably happened during the Pleistocene. Diversification rate appeared relatively constant through time. Spatial and temporal divergences between lineages of P. orbiculare and co-distributed taxa suggest that a distinct period of uplifting of the Transvolcanic Belt around 7.5-3 million years ago broadly impacted diversification in taxa associated with this mountain range. To the north, several river drainages acting as filter barriers differentially subdivided co-distributed highland taxa through time. Diversification patterns observed in P. orbiculare provide additional insight into the mechanisms that impacted differentiation of highland taxa across the complex Mexican highlands.

Relative roles of Neogene vicariance and Quaternary climate change on the historical diversification of bunchgrass lizards (Sceloporus scalaris group) in Mexico.

Neogene vicariance during the Miocene and Pliocene and Quaternary climate change have synergistically driven diversification in Mexican highland taxa. We investigated the impacts of these processes on genetic diversification in the widely distributed bunchgrass lizards in the Sceloporus scalaris group. We searched for correlations between timing in diversification and timing of (1) a period of marked volcanism across the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in central Mexico 3-7.5million years ago (Ma) and (2) a transition to larger glacial-interglacial cycles during the mid-Pleistocene. From our phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA we identified two major clades that contained 13 strongly supported lineages. One clade contained lineages from the two northern sierras of Mexico, and the other clade included lineages associated with the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and Central Mexican Plateau. Results provided support for Neogene divergences within the S. scalaris group in response to uplift of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, a pattern observed in several co-distributed taxa, and suggested that Quaternary climate change likely had little effect on diversification between lineages. Uplift of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt during specific time periods appears to have strongly impacted diversification in Mexican highland taxa.