Georeferenced synthesis reveals contrasting latitudinal ranges between hyriid mussels and sphaeriid clams in inland waters, suggesting distinct postglacial dispersal capacities.
Key Points
To establish a georeferenced synthesis and annotated checklist evaluating the latitudinal distribution and historical biogeography of freshwater bivalves in Chilean inland waters.
Compiled and georeferenced 90 occurrence records of freshwater bivalves from published literature and associated biodiversity datasets.
Categorized records across 12 species belonging to three genera (Diplodon, Euglesa, and Sphaerium) within Hyriidae and Sphaeriidae.
Analyzed latitudinal ranges from central-southern continental river systems down to extreme sub-Antarctic environments.
Diplodon chilensis was the most frequently recorded species, comprising 52 of 90 records with a latitudinal distribution from 30.5° S to 46.6° S.
Sphaeriine clams formed the southernmost records, led by Euglesa magellanicum at approximately 55.0° S on Isla Navarino, alongside high-latitude occurrences of Euglesa lebruni and Sphaerium patagonicum.
Identified contrasting spatial patterns between large-bodied hyriids, which remain restricted to temperate continental waters, and small-bodied sphaeriids that extend into sub-Antarctic zones.
Cite This Study
Ríos-Escalante et al. (2026) studied this question.