title: Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the eastern Tapaculos (Aves: Rhinocryptidae: Scytalopus, Eleoscytalopus): cryptic diversification in Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
abstract: Scytalopus and the recently erected Eleoscytalopus are among the Neotropical groups of birds whose taxonomy is most difficult to resolve given their very conservative morphology. We investigated the phylogeny and species limits of Eleoscytalopus and the eastern Scytalopus using two mitochondrial genes and two nuclear introns of multiple individuals from all species of these groups. The eastern Scytalopus are separated in three well defined clades also supported by morphological or vocal characteristics, although the relationships between these clades could not be resolved. We found several allopatric and very divergent lineages in these genera whose characteristics are consistent with species-level divergence, especially in S.speluncae. The great divergence between E. psychopompus and its sister species supports the former as a valid species. Our results corroborate the importance of the Bahia refuge as an avian center of endemism.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Genômica e Molecular, Faculdade de Biociências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul Av Ipiranga, 6681, CEP 90619-900, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. helenamata.lxv@gmail.com
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mata
authors.forename: Carla Suertegaray
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Giovanni Nachtigall
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Maurício
authors.forename: Marcos Ricardo
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bornschein
authors.forename: Marcelo Ferreira
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Sandro L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bonatto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005843:Geography; D007438:Introns; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial