Invasive Pleurodema thaul from Robinson Crusoe Island: Molecular identification of its geographic origin and comments on the phylogeographic structure of this species in mainland Chile

Abstract

Robinson Crusoe Island, located 670 km west of the coast of central Chile, is characterized by a high number of endemic and introduced species of plants and animals. This island lacks native amphibians or reptiles, but somewhat more than 30 years ago the toad Pleurodema thaul, native to continental Chile, was introduced. The coast of central Chile was identified as the geographic source of the introduced population of Robinson Crusoe by means of phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial sequences. These analyses also suggest a high degree of phylogeographic structure for this species in continental Chile.