title: Phylogenetic evaluation of taxonomic definition of didelphid mouse opossum of the genus Thylamys from valleys of Coquimbo region, Chile.
abstract: Only two species of Didelphidae are currently recognized in Chile, the sister species Thylamys elegans, endemic of Mediterranean ecorregion and Thylamys pallidior, the inhabitant of the Puna and desert canyons. Three subspecies have been described for T. elegans: T. e. elegans, T. e. coquimbensis and T. e. soricinus. However, a recent study based on morphological analyses, synonymized T. elegans coquimbensis from the Coquimbo valleys (30-31° S) with T. pallidior and proposed that T. elegans and T. pallidior could be in sympatry at Coquimbo valleys between Fray Jorge (30°40'S) and Paiguano (30°02' S). We assess the current definition of T. e. coquimbensis and T. e. elegans, as well as this taxonomical conflict among the mouse opossums from the Coquimbo valleys through phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome b mitochondrial gene sequences. In this study, for the first time, we used specimens from the type localities of T. e. coquimbensis and T. e. elegans. In addition, we analyzed diagnostic cranial structures for this taxonomic revision. The results supported two allopatric clades, allowing us to keep the taxonomic definition of T. e. elegans and T. e. coquimbensis as phylogenetic reciprocal monophyletic clades and polyphyletic with T. pallidior. This result corroborates previous morphological analyses, which support that mouse opossums from the Coquimbo valleys are T. e. coquimbensis, thus extending its geographic distribution to the coast of Coquimbo and Atacama regions. We don´t have evidence for sympatric distribution between T. elegans and T. pallidior in the Coquimbo region.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Concepción, Barrio Universitario s/n Concepción, Santiago, Chile Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, 2373223, Chile; Email: dboric@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boric-Bargetto
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425 Santiago, Chile; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Zúñiga-Reinoso
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, 6513677, Chile; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Ricardo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cancino
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Pecuarias, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillán, Chile; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: González-Acuña
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Concepción, Barrio Universitario s/n Concepción, Santiago, Chile; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Serrano
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, 6513677, Chile; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: R Eduardo
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Concepción, Barrio Universitario s/n Concepción, Santiago, Chile; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Cristián E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hernández
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D002677:Chile; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009893:Opossums / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D009929:Organ Size; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D045303:Cytochromes b