Research Unit: Genetics, Biodiversity and Bio-Resources Development, Biotechnology Institute of Monastir, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia Higher Institute of Applied Biological Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis - ElManar

Author for correspondence: nabil.amor@gmail.com

Gharbi Rached

Research Unit: Genetics, Biodiversity and Bio-Resources Development, Biotechnology Institute of Monastir, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia

Said Khaled

Research Unit: Genetics, Biodiversity and Bio-Resources Development, Biotechnology Institute of Monastir, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia

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Abstract.

Morphometric and karyological variations were analysed within the Moorish gecko Tarentola mauritanica sensu lato from Tunisia, and compared with already published data. The results show high levels of interspecific variability, indicative of the existence of two distinct lineages: the larger one T. fascicularis, widespread in the south, nearly identical to specimens from Libya and Egypt and the other one, T. m. mauritanica, confined to the northern and central regions, belonging to the common “European” and “North African” morphotype. The observed morphological variation appears to be related to microevolutionary events (phylogenetic variation) derived from a speciation event between the two taxa. We observed that these two lineages also differed in karyotype, such as the shape of some chromosomes and position of NORs. This study highlights the importance of Tunisia as a transition area between eastern and western lineages of Moorish gecko. However, additional genetic studies seem to be essential to infer evolutionary relationships among T. mauritanica populations' across North Africa.

Keywords: Tarentola, mauritanica, T. fascicularis, Tunisia, chromosomes, morphological variation

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Matthias Stöck, Gianni Grifoni, Nabil Armor, Ulrich Scheidt, Alessandra Sicilia, Nicola Novarini. (2016) On the origin of the recent herpetofauna of Sicily: Comparative phylogeography using homologous mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Zoologischer Anzeiger - A Journal of Comparative Zoology 261, 70-81.
Online publication date: 1-Mar-2016.
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