Genetic and ecological data reveal species boundaries between viviparous and oviparous lizard lineages.

ABSTRACT: Identification of cryptic species is an essential aim for conservation biologists to avoid premature extinctions of 'unrecognized' species. Integrating different types of data can undoubtedly aid in resolving the issue of species delimitation. We studied here two lineages of the common lizard Zootoca vivipara that display different reproductive mode (the viviparous Z. v. vivipara and the oviparous Z. v. carniolica) and that overlap their distributional ranges in the European Alps. With the purpose of delimiting species' boundaries, we analyzed their ecological, genetic and natural history features. More than 300 samples were collected and analyzed at cytochrome b and 11 microsatellites loci for investigating genetic variation, population structure, individual relatedness and evolutionary h

SUBMITTER: Cornetti L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4806899 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature