Unravelling the cryptic diversity and evolution of the dwarf swamp frog Pseudopaludicola mystacalis (Anura, Leptodactylidae) in open habitats of South America

Abstract Many studies on the diversity of South American biota support role ecological and geological events as main drivers species diversification. For many groups, geomorphological are key diversification, while influence Pleistocene climate oscillations is prominent for others. To precisely indicate which were development astonishing biodiversity in America, widely distributed paramount. One such species, dwarf swamp frog Pseudopaludicola mystacalis (Leptodactylidae, Leiuperinae), open habitats America we herein investigate population differentiation diversification this across its geographic range. We sequenced a 1374 bp mtDNA fragment from 64 specimens 25 localities. used assignment delimitation methods to assess genetic structure lineage limits distribution. estimated, each lineage, intraspecific diversity, divergence times, demographic histories. Our results recovered ten lineages with up 5% among them. Diversification occurred mainly during Tertiary, suggesting that Miocene-Pliocene topographic had major P. . climatic also played evolutionary history , causing changes one lineage.