Divergence of the CytochromebGene in theLacerta raddeiComplex and Its Parthenogenetic Daughter Species: Evidence for Recent Multiple Origins

Abstract

Questions concerning the origin of parthenogenesis in Caucasian Rock Lizards and genetic divergence among bisexual lizards of the Lacerta raddei complex were examined using sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The maternal parent of the parthenogenetic L. uzzelli, L. sapphirina, and L. bendimahiensis was confirmed to be L. raddei. Although substantial variation was revealed among bisexual populations of L. raddei and L. nairensis, very low or no variation was found among the parthenogenetic species. A phylogenetic tree including 11 populations of L. raddei and L. nairensis, as well as 10 populations of its five daughter parthenogens, was constructed. Because of paraphyletic relationships, L. nairensis is considered conspecific with L. raddei. Evaluation of the parthenogenetic species suggests that separate hybridization events between L. raddei and L. valentini might have occurred at least twice. One resulted in L. sapphirina and L. bendimahiensis, and the other one (or more) resulted in L. unisexualis and L. uzzelli. The females involved were distantly related, Lacerta unisexualis and L. uzzelli likely had separate origins, but the females involved were closely related.