Phylogenetic Relationships of the Flying Lizards, Genus Draco (Reptilia, Agamidae)

Phylogenetic relationships among 12 species of the genus Draco were inferred from 779 base pairs of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes and allozymes for 20 presumptive loci. Results indicated the presence of at least four distinct lineages within the genus. The first lineage consists of D. volans and D. cornutus, whereas the second only of D. lineatus, which exhibits a great genetic divergence between two subspecies. The third is monotypic with D. dussumieri, the only species distributed in southern India. The fourth included all the remaining species. The third and fourth lineages are supposed to exclusively share a common ancestor. It is likely that the common ancestor of whole Draco originally diverged into three groups, the ancestors of the first, second, and third and fourth lineages, by vicariance. In the fourth lineage, D. blanfordii, D. haematopogon, D. melanopogon, D. obscurus and D. taeniopterus are likely to be exclusively close to each other. The resultant phylogenetic tree contradicts the dichotomous relationships previously hypothesized on the basis of morphological characters

Evolution of Asian and African Lygosomine Skinks of the Mabuya Group (Reptilia: Scincidae): A Molecular Perspective

Phylogenetic relationships among Asian and African lygosomine skinks of the Mabuya group were inferred from 825 base pairs of DNA sequences of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes. Results indicated the presence of two distinct lineages within this group, of which one consisted of Lamprolepis and Lygosoma, and the other of Apterygodon, Dasia, and Asian and African Mabuya. Within the latter, African species of Mabuya first diverged from the remainder, leaving the Asian congeners together with the Apterygodon-Dasia clade. Our results, while suggesting the non-monophyly of the genus Mabuya, do not support the currently prevailing phylogeographical hypothesis which assumes the independent origins of Lamprolepis and Lygosoma from the Asian Mabuya-like stock. On the other hand, our results suggest that morphological and karyological similarities between the Apterygodon-Dasia clade and Lamprolepis are attributable to symplesiomorphy, while their ecological similarity to convergence. Morphological and karyological character states unique to Apterygodon are supposed to have evolved from those exhibited by Dasia

A new species of Amolops from Thailand (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae)

We describe a new species of torrent-dwelling ranid frog of the genus Amolops from western to peninsular Thailand. Amolops panhai, new species, differs from its congeners by the combination of: small body, males 31-34 mm, females 48-58 mm in snout-vent length; head narrower than long; tympanum distinct; vomerine teeth in short, oblique patches; first finger subequal to second; disc of first finger smaller than that of second, with circurnmarginal groove; no wide fringe of skin on third finger; toes fully webbed; outer metatarsal tubercle present; supratympanic fold present; dorsolateral fold indistinct; axillary gland present; horny spines on back, side of head and body, and chest absent; large tubercles on side of anus absent; glandular fold on ventral surface of tarsus absent; nuptial pad and paired gular pouches present in male; white band along the upper jaw extending to shoulder absent; larval dental formula 7(4-7)/3(1). This new species is the second anuran discovered which has a disjunct distribution around the Isthmus of Kra

A new ansonia from the Isthmus of Kra, Thailand (Amphibia, Anura, Bufonidae)

A new species of torrent-dwelling bufonid frog of the genus Ansonia is described from the Isthmus of Kra, Thailand. Ansonia kraensis is morphologically similar to Malaysian A. malayana, but differs from it in ventral coloration and larval morphology. Occurrence of A. kraensis in this region suggests a heterogeneous nature of the anuran fauna between northern and southern regions of the Malay Peninsula

Phylogenetic relationships of the flying lizards, genus Draco (Reptilia, Agamidae)

Phylogenetic relationships among 12 species of the genus Draco were inferred from 779 base pairs of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes and allozymes for 20 presumptive loci. Results indicated the presence of at least four distinct lineages within the genus. The first lineage consists of D. volans and D. cornutus, whereas the second only of D. lineatus, which exhibits a great genetic divergence between two subspecies. The third is monotypic with D. dussumieri, the only species distributed in southern India. The fourth included all the remaining species. The third and fourth lineages are supposed to exclusively share a common ancestor. It is likely that the common ancestor of whole Draco originally diverged into three groups, the ancestors of the first, second, and third and fourth lineages, by vicariance. In the fourth lineage, D. blanfordii, D. haematopogon, D. melanopogon, D. obscurus and D. taeniopterus are likely to be exclusively close to each other. The resultant phylogenetic tree contradicts the dichotomous relationships previously hypothesized on the basis of morphological characters

Evolution of Asian and African lygosomine skinks of the Mabuya group (Reptilia : Scincidae): A molecular perspective

Phylogenetic relationships among Asian and African lygosomine skinks of the Mabuya group were inferred from 825 base pairs of DNA sequences of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes. Results indicated the presence of two distinct lineages within this group, of which one consisted of Lamprolepis and Lygosoma, and the other of Apterygodon, Dasia, and Asian and African Mabuya. Within the latter, African species of Mabuya first diverged from the remainder, leaving the Asian congeners together with the Apterygodon-Dasia clade. Our results, while suggesting the non-monophyly of the genus Mabuya, do not support the currently prevailing phylogeographical hypothesis which assumes the independent origins of Lamprolepis and Lygosoma from the Asian Mabuya-like stock. On the other hand, our results suggest that morphological and karyological similarities between the Apterygodon-Dasia clade and Lamprolepis are attributable to symplesiomorphy, while their ecological similarity to convergence. Morphological and karyological character states unique to Apterygodon are supposed to have evolved from those exhibited by Dasia

Phylogenetic relationships of the family Agamidae (Reptilia : Iguania) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences

Phylogenetic relationships of the family Agamidae were inferred from 860 base positions of a mitochondrial DNA sequence of 12S and 16S rRNA genes. Results confirmed the monophyly of this family including Leiolepis and Uromastyx (Leiolepidinae), and indicated the sister relationship between Agamidae and Chamaeleonidae. Our results also indicated the presence of two major clades in Agamidae. In one of these major clades, "Leiolepidinae" was first diverged, followed by the Lophognathus and Hypsilurus in order, leaving Physignathus, Chlamydosaurus and Pogona as monophyletic. This result contradicts the currently prevailing hypothesis for the agamid phylogeny, which, on the basis of morphological data, assumes the primary dichotomy between Leiolepidinae and the remainder (Agaminae). The phylogenetic diversity of agamid lizards in the Australian region is supposed to have increased through an in situ continental radiation rather than through multiple colonizations from Southeast Asia. Distributions of some species in Asia and Melanesia are attributed to the secondary dispersals subsequent to this radiation