Contribution to the study of Acanthodactylus (Sauria: Lacertidae) mtDNA diversity focusing on the A. boskianus species group

N Psonis; P Lymberakis; D Poursanidis; N Poulakakis

doi:10.1016/j.mito.2016.07.001

Contribution to the study of Acanthodactylus (Sauria: Lacertidae) mtDNA diversity focusing on the A. boskianus species group

Mitochondrion. 2016 Sep:30:78-94. doi: 10.1016/j.mito.2016.07.001. Epub 2016 Jul 9.

Authors

N Psonis¹, P Lymberakis², D Poursanidis³, N Poulakakis⁴

Affiliations

¹ Biology Department, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, P.O. Box 2208, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Natural History Museum of Crete, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, Knossos Av., P.O. Box 2208, GR-71409, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Electronic address: nikos.psonis@gmail.com.
² Natural History Museum of Crete, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, Knossos Av., P.O. Box 2208, GR-71409, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
³ Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, 100, N. Plastira St., Vassilika Vouton, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
⁴ Biology Department, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, P.O. Box 2208, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Natural History Museum of Crete, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, Knossos Av., P.O. Box 2208, GR-71409, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

PMID: 27402069
DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2016.07.001

Abstract

The Acanthodactylus boskianus species group includes three species (A. boskianus, A. nilsoni, and A. schreiberi) of unclear phylogeny and phylogeographic history. By sequencing fragments of two mtDNA genes and performing phylogenetic, demographic, and chronophylogenetic analyses, we aimed at identifying their phylogenetic relationships while unravelling their biogeographic history. The analyses indicated that A. boskianus is a species complex, while A. s. schreiberi and A. s. ataturi show, both, low intraspecific genetic diversity. From a biogeographic point of view, the ancestor of A. s. schreiberi colonized Cyprus from the Middle East through overseas dispersal during the Pleistocene, whereas A. s. ataturi is considered to be a relict of a previously wider distribution.

Keywords: Chronophylogenetic analyses; Demographic analyses; Divergence times; Phylogenetic analyses; Species distribution modelling.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cluster Analysis
DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics*
Genetic Variation
Phylogeography
Sequence Homology
Vertebrates / classification*
Vertebrates / genetics*

Substances

DNA, Mitochondrial