Abstract

Distributional patterns of the South American species of the freshwater amphipod genus Hyalella were analysed using a panbiogeographic approach. Five generalized tracks were found: (1) northern Andes to Lake Titicaca (H. dielaii, H. meinerti, H. dybowskii, H.jelskii, H. lubominsky, and H. pauperocavae; (2) lake Titicaca (H. armata, H. cuprea, H. latinamus, H. lucifugax, H. montforti, H. neveulemairei, H. robusta, H. tiwanaku, H. simplex simplex, and H. solida); (3) central Andes (H. fossamancinii and H. kochi); (4) Pampas (H. bonariensis, H. caeca, H. castroi, H. longispina, H. montenegrinae, H. pampeana, H. pernix, H. pseudoazteca, and H. warmingii); and (5) Subantarctic (H. patagonica H. costera, H. curvispina, H. chiloensis, H. falklandensis, H. franciscae, H. neonoma, H. patagonica, and H. simplex). One node was found at lake Titicaca (intersection of generalized tracks 1, 2, and 3).