Who’s your daddy? On the identity and distribution of the paternal hybrid ancestor of the parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae)

Abstract

The widespread parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris is comprised of several clonal lineages, at least one of which has been known for some time to have originated from hybridization between its maternal ancestor, Lepidodactylus moestus, and a putatively undescribed paternal ancestor previously known only from remote islands in the Central Pacific. By integrating new genetic sequences from multiple studies on Lepidodactylus and incorporating new genetic sequences from previously sampled populations, we recovered a phylogenetic tree that shows a close genetic similarity between the generally hypothesized paternal hybrid ancestor and a recently described species from Maluku (Indonesia), Lepidodactylus pantai. Our results suggest that the paternal hybrid ancestor of at least one parthenogenetic clone of L. lugubris is conspecific with L. pantai and that the range of this species extends to Palau, the Caroline Islands, the Kei Islands, Wagabu, and potentially other small islands near New Guinea. Deeper genetic structure in the western (Palau, Maluku) versus eastern (eastern Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia) part of this species’ range suggests that the western populations likely dispersed via natural colonization, whereas the eastern populations may be the result of human-mediated dispersal. The potential taxonomic affinities and biogeographic history should be confirmed with further morphological and genetic analyses, including research on L. woodfordi from its type locality, which would have nomenclatural priority if found to be conspecific with L. pantai. We recommend referring to the wide-ranging sexual species as Lepidodactylus pantai until such a comparison can be made.

Cryptic extinction risk in a western Pacific lizard radiation

“…We are also aware of some recognised taxa that show very limited morphological or genetic divergence from other taxa, and may be synonyms (e.g., Lepidodactylus browni and Lepidodactylus orientalis or Lepidodactylus pantai and Lepidodactylus woodfordi ; PMO pers. obs., Karin et al 2021 ).…”

Embryonic development of the skull in a parthenogenetic lizard, the mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris)

“…The mourning gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril and Bibron, 1836), is a species of small gecko, native to Central Pacific islands but currently introduced to many tropical areas around the world (e.g., Karin et al, 2021). It belongs to the species‐rich genus Lepidodactylus (Uetz et al, 2022) which in turn belongs to the Gekkonidae and is closely related to Gekko , Luperosaurus and Pseudogekko (Gamble et al, 2012; Wood et al, 2020).…”

“…It belongs to the species‐rich genus Lepidodactylus (Uetz et al, 2022) which in turn belongs to the Gekkonidae and is closely related to Gekko , Luperosaurus and Pseudogekko (Gamble et al, 2012; Wood et al, 2020). It is a parthenogenetic, all‐female species, consisting of several clonal lineages, probably originating from a hybridogenetic event between L. moestus and L. pantai (Karin et al, 2021).…”

Success factors of great oceanic dispersers: Case of Squamata in the Pacific Ocean

“…No previous study has investigated the factors that might influence interspecific differences in the dispersal ability of island squamates in the Pacific Ocean, although similar research in the Mediterranean showed important variability among species depending on certain morphological traits (Escoriza, 2021). These differences may be related to spatial (arrangement of the archipelagos) and ecological (island invasibility) factors, and the life‐history traits of the colonizing species, but also to human‐mediated dispersal (Jordal et al., 2001; Karin et al., 2021; Sanchez & Probst, 2014).…”