Genus Hyalella (Amphipoda: Hyalellidae) in Humid Pampas: molecular diversity and a provisional new species

Abstract

Hyalella is a genus of epigean freshwater amphipods endemic to the Americas. The study of morphological characters alone has traditionally dominated the description of new species. Recently, molecular systematics tools have contributed to identifying many cryptic species and a high level of convergent evolution in species complexes from North America and the South American highlands. In this study, we evaluate for the first time the molecular diversity in Hyalella spp. in Uruguay, a country located in the humid pampa ecoregion, based on four molecular markers. Thus, we investigate the systematic position of H. curvispina in the context of the available phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus. Phylogenetic and morphological analyses confirm that there is a “curvispina complex”. This complex includes H. curvispina and several similar morphological forms but is paraphyletic in relation to some altiplano species. In addition, we found one provisional new species. The results obtained are contrasted with previous studies to help understand the mechanisms of genetic differentiation and speciation of the genus, which seems to have a strong tendency towards morphological convergence.