A review of the Quichua Porcupine Coendou quichua complex (Rodentia: Erethizontidae) with the description of a new species from Colombia

Coendou quichua is a widely distributed trans-Andean species in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. However, analysis of the cytochrome b (Cytb) gene suggests the presence of cryptic diversity. Recent reviews found that morphological variation within this taxon is mainly associated with elevation. Still, mitochondrial divergence values between some populations are similar to those reported between well-diagnosable sister species in the genus. Here, we provide new Cytb sequences from Colombian and Ecuadorian specimens and morphological observations from specimens collected in different natural regions to show that C. quichua is indeed a species complex. Coendou quichua complex contains 3 separate lineages: (i) the typical C. quichua from the Andes of Ecuador; (ii) a sister lineage from the Choc & oacute;-Dari & eacute;n ecoregion; and (iii) an undescribed new species from wet and dry forests of the Magdalena inter-Andean valley and the Caribbean regions of Colombia. Based on morphological, ecological niche modeling, and geographical analyses, the lineage from Choc & oacute;-Dari & eacute;n in Colombia and Ecuador is here treated as a different species for which the name C. rothschildi is available. The lineage involving samples from the wet and dry forests of the Magdalena inter-Andean Valley and the Caribbean regions represents an unnamed taxon described herein as Coendou vossi sp. nov., endemic to Colombia. Based on integrative analyses, the Quichua Porcupine (Coendou quichua complex) comprises 3 different species. One available name (C. rothschildi) is resurrected. A new species of Coendou, endemic to trans-Andean Colombia, is described increasing the diversity of the genus to 18 species. Coendou quichua se considera una especie trasandina de amplia distribuci & oacute;n que se encuentra en Colombia, Ecuador y Panam & aacute;. Sin embargo, an & aacute;lisis del gen citocromo b (Cytb) sugieren la presencia de diversidad cr & iacute;ptica. Revisiones recientes encontraron una variaci & oacute;n morfol & oacute;gica dentro de este tax & oacute;n asociada principalmente a la elevaci & oacute;n, mientras que los valores de divergencia mitocondrial entre algunas poblaciones son similares a los reportados entre especies hermanas del g & eacute;nero. Proporcionamos nuevas secuencias de Cytb de espec & iacute;menes colombianos y ecuatorianos, as & iacute; como observaciones morfol & oacute;gicas de espec & iacute;menes recolectados en diferentes regiones naturales para mostrar que C. quichua es de hecho un complejo de especies. El complejo C. quichua posee tres linajes: (i) el t & iacute;pico C. quichua de los Andes de Ecuador; (ii) un linaje hermano de la ecorregi & oacute;n de Choc & oacute;-Dari & eacute;n; y (iii) una nueva especie no descrita de bosques h & uacute;medos y secos del valle interandino del Magdalena y la regi & oacute;n Caribe de Colombia. Con base en an & aacute;lisis morfol & oacute;gicos, y geogr & aacute;ficos, junto a modelos de nicho ecol & oacute;gico, el linaje del Choc & oacute;-Dari & eacute;n es tratado como una especie diferente para la cual el nombre C. rothschildi est & aacute; disponible. De manera similar, el linaje que involucra muestras de los bosques h & uacute;medos y secos del Valle interandino del Magdalena y del Caribe representa un tax & oacute;n sin nombre disponible el cual describimos aqu & iacute; como Coendou vossi sp. nov., end & eacute;mico de Colombia.