Genetic differentiation of populations of Iberian rock-lizards Iberolacerta (Iberolacerta) sensuArribas (1999)

Abstract

The genetic structure and relationships of five populations of the Iberian group of Iberolacerta (sensuArribas 1999) were analysed by protein electrophoresis. In this study we confirmed the differentiation between the group of populations from Galicia/Cantabrian/S. Estrela versus the group of populations from de Spanish Central System, Gredos and Guadarrama that are included in the two different species by Arribas (Herpetozoa 9(1/2), 31–56, 1996; Russian J. Herpetol. 6, 1–22, 1999), Iberolacerta (I.) monticola and Iberolacerta (I.) cyreni, respectively. However, the differentiation level is not high enough to clearly prove their specific discrimination. On the other hand, we did not confirm the subspecific discrimination of the Gredos –Iberolacerta (I.) cyreni castiliana, and Guadarrama –Iberolacerta (I.) cyreni cyreni populations, proposed by Arribas (1996). These two populations are genetically almost homogeneous. Interestingly, we found an unexpected high genetic similarity between the Galician and the Serra da Estrela populations, presently included into two different subspecies, Iberolacerta (I.) monticola cantabrica and Iberolacerta (I.) monticola monticola, respectively. Their genetic similarity is even higher than that between the populations of Galicia and the Cantabrian Mountains, which are both included in the same subspecies, cantabrica. This result suggests that the populations of Galicia and Serra da Estrela would have maintained contacts, possibly through the north of Portugal, until relatively recent times. Their separation is thus probably post‐glacial. Some evidence also points to the existence of relatively recent contacts between the population of Serra da Estrela and those of the Central System, particularly, with the neighbouring Peña de Francia population. With the cautions imposed by the reduced sample size of our analysis, the significant differentiation of the populations from Galicia and the Cantabrian Mountains allow us to suggest that this last population may not be the result of a recent expansion of the Galician population as Arribas (1996) suggests, but, more likely, the result of a fragmentation process of a more ancient and wider north‐eastern distribution area of this group of rock‐lizards.

Morphological and genetic evidence of the full species status of Iberolacerta cyreni martinezricai (Arribas, 1996)

“…According to this hypothesis, Serra da Estrela would have acted as a Pleistocene refuge from which a rapid range expansion of I. monticola would have probably occurred after the end of the Würm glacial period. This interpretation is coherent with the climatic conditions during the Quaternary and is also in agreement with biogeographical scenarios proposed for other reptiles and amphibians around the same general area: Chioglossa lusitanica (Alexandrino et al 1997(Alexandrino et al , 2000; Lacerta schreiberi (Gordinho et al 2002(Gordinho et al , 2003Paulo et al 2001Paulo et al , 2002 and Podarcis (Pinho et al 2002).…”

Reproductive characteristics of a lowland population of an alpine lizard: Lacerta monticola (Squamata, Lacertidae) in north-west Spain

“…In contrast with its af nity for mountains, it is also found at sea level, from altitudes of 0 to 400-500 m on the damp, north-facing slopes and deep river valleys in the north of Galicia and west of Asturias, north-west Spain (Elvira and Vigal, 1982;Galán, 1982;Pérez-Mellado, 1997, 1998, 2002. Recent studies found an unexpectedly close genetic similarity between the populations of Galicia and the Serra da Estrela, as well as a considerable genetic differentiation between the Galician and Cantabrian populations, both included in the same subspecies, L. monticola cantabrica (Almeida et al, 2001).…”

Genetic variation and its evolutionary implications in a Mediterranean island endemic lizard

“…The observed heterozygosity found in A. bedriagae (Ho = 0.092) is higher than the average values (but included within the range) calculated for 17 species of lacertid lizards belonging to the same tribe of A. bedriagae (i.e. Lacertini Oppel, 1811) (Ho = 0.059; Gorman et al, 1975;Cirer & Guillaume, 1986;Busack, 1987;Capula, 1994aCapula, , 1996Capula, , 1997Capula, , 2004Fu et al, 1995;MacCulloch et al, 1995MacCulloch et al, , 1997Brehm et al, 2001;Almeida et al, 2002;Capula & Ceccarelli, 2003). The average observed heterozygosity of Corsican populations is similar to that of Sardinian populations.…”