TY - JOUR UR - https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5333 DO - 10.7717/peerj.5333 TI - Historical connections among river basins and climatic changes explain the biogeographic history of a water rat AU - Dalapicolla,Jeronymo AU - Leite,Yuri Luiz Reis A2 - Calafell,Francesc DA - 2018/07/27 PY - 2018 KW - Atlantic Forest KW - Microsatellite KW - Phylogeography KW - Sigmodontinae KW - Species distribution modeling KW - Nectomys squamipes AB - Background The water rat Nectomys squamipes (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) is a semiaquatic rodent from eastern South America that shows shallow genetic structure across space, according to some studies. We tested the influence of hydrography and climatic changes on the genetic and phylogeographic structure of this semiaquatic small mammal. Methods DNA sequences of two mitochondrial genetic markers (Cyt b and D-loop) and six microsatellite loci from water rats were collected at 50 localities in five river basins in the Atlantic Forest along the eastern coast of South America. We evaluated the genetic structure within and among river basins, and we estimated divergence dates. Species distribution models for the present and past were built to identify possible gene flow paths. Results Mitochondrial data and species distribution models showed coherent results. Microsatellite loci showed a more complex pattern of genetic differentiation. The diversification of N. squamipes haplotypes occurred during the Pleistocene and the river basin cannot explain most of the genetic structure. We found evidence of population expansion during the last glacial maximum, and gene flow paths indicate historical connections among rivers in the Atlantic Forest. Discussion Historical connections among rivers in the Atlantic Forest may have allowed N. squamipes to disperse farther across and within basins, leading to shallow genetic structure. Population expansions and gene flow through the emerged continental shelf during glacial period support the Atlantis forest hypothesis, thus challenging the forest refuge hypothesis. VL - 6 SP - e5333 T2 - PeerJ JO - PeerJ J2 - PeerJ SN - 2167-8359 ER -