Phylogenetic Relationships of Eublepharid Geckos (Reptilia: Squamata): A Molecular Approach

Phylogenetic analyses were carried out for representatives of all eublepharid genera and afew other gekkonoid taxa using sequence data for 879 base pairs of mitochondrial 12S and 16S ribosomalRNA genes. Neighbor-joining (NJ) distance analysis of the data suggested independent great divergencesof Coleonyx and Aeluroscalabotes, and monophyly of the remainder within Eublepharidae (bootstrap proportion[BP]=76%). Of the latter, the two African genera, Hemitheconyx and Holodactylus, were almost certainlymonophyletic altogether (BP=99%), whereas their sister-group relationship with Eublepharis received a weaker,but still substantial support (BP=68%). Within Goniurosaurus kuroiwae, G. k. splendens first diverged fromthe remainder (BP=100%), followed by G. k. kuroiwae from the northern part of Okinawajima (BP=100%): G.k. kuroiwae from the southern part of Okinawajima and G. k. orientalis, differing from each other at onlyseven bases, diverged finally (BP=99%). Parsimony analysis yielded results consistent with those of NJanalysis with respect to the monophyly of the two African genera and relationships within G. kuroiwae, butretained the other relationships within Eublepharidae unresolved. Our results, while showing no seriousdiscrepancies with the relationships among eublepharid genera hypothesized from morphological data, casta serious doubt to the currently accepted population systematics within G. kuroiwae. Furthermore, results ofboth analyses suggested a closer affinity of Diplodactylinae (as represented by Rhacodactylus trachyrhynchus)with Eublepharidae, rather than with Gekkoninae. Our study lends a robust support to the Laurasian origin ofthe family Eublepharidae

The Amphibians and Reptiles Collected by the Hokkaido University Expedition to Nepal Himalaya

A small number of amphibians and reptiles collected by the Hokkaido University Expedition to Nepal Himalaya are examined. The collection includes seven species: Bufo melanostictus, B. himalayanus, Agama tuberculata, Calotes versicolor, Japalura tricarinata, Boiga cyanea and Trimeresurus albolabris. Of these, the record of Bufo himalayanus is the first for Kathmandu valley and that of Boiga cyanea is the second for Nepal

Phylogenetic relationships of eublepharid geckos (Reptilia : Squamata): A molecular approach

Phylogenetic analyses were carried out for representatives of all eublepharid genera and a few other gekkonoid taxa using sequence data for 879 base pairs of mitochondrial 12S and 16S ribosomal RNA genes. Neighbor-joining (NJ) distance analysis of the data suggested independent great divergences of Coleonyx and Aeluroscalabotes, and monophyly of the remainder within Eublepharidae (bootstrap proportion [BP]=76%). Of the latter, the two African genera, Hemitheconyx and Holodactylus, were almost certainly monophyletic altogether (BP=99%), whereas their sister-group relationship with Eublepharis received a weaker, but still substantial support (BP=68%). Within Goniurosaurus kuroiwae, G. k. splendens first diverged from the remainder (BP=100%), followed by G. k. kuroiwae from the northern part of Okinawajima (BP=100%): G. k. kuroiwae from the southern part of Okinawajima and G. k, orientalis, differing from each other at only seven bases, diverged finally (BP=99%). Parsimony analysis yielded results consistent with those of NJ analysis with respect to the monophyly of the two African genera and relationships within G. kuroiwae, but retained the other relationships within Eublepharidae unresolved. Our results, while showing no serious discrepancies with the relationships among eublepharid genera hypothesized from morphological data, cast a serious doubt to the currently accepted population systematics within G. kuroiwae. Furthermore, results of both analyses suggested a closer affinity of Diplodactylinae (as represented by Rhacodactylus trachyrhynchus) with Eublepharidae, rather than with Gekkoninae. Our study lends a robust support to the Laurasian origin of the family Eublepharidae

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

Molecular evaluation of phylogenetic significances in the highly divergent karyotypes of the genus Gonocephalus (Reptilia : Agamidae) from tropical Asia

The Oriental large-bodied crested dragons of the genus Gonocephalus are known to include two distinct karyomorphs. To evaluate their phylogenetic significances, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of the genus together with other agamid genera on the basis of 862 base positions of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes. Results suggested the presence of two distinct lineages within Gonocephalus, of which one, represented by G. robinsonii that has a 2n=32 karyotype, was closer to other Oriental agamid genera than to the other congeneric lineage. Monophyly of the latter, characterized by unique chromosomal arrangement among agamid genera (2n=42 karyotype), was confirmed. It is thus likely that states of morphological characters shared between the two lineages are derived through convergence, or represent symplesiomorphy. Our results also suggest that the karyological similarity between G. robinsonii and several Australian agamids, pointed out in a previous study, is actually attributable to homoplasy rather than their recent common ancestry