Molecular discrimination and phylogeographic patterns of clones of the parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris in the Japanese Archipelago

A recent study reveals that the parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris exhibits remarkable clonal diversity, particularly in Japan's Daito Islands. Researchers identified 17 clones across five island groups using microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analyses, with 14 clones endemic to the Daito Islands. Mitochondrial cyt b sequences suggest these clones are closely related and differentiated recently. The study proposes that triploid clones likely arose from hybridization between diploid female and male clones, despite males being unrecorded in the region. This finding sheds light on the rapid clonal diversification in asexual animals, with implications for understanding their evolutionary dynamics.

Murakami, Y., & Hayashi, F. (2019). Molecular discrimination and phylogeographic patterns of clones of the parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris in the Japanese Archipelago. Population Ecology, 61(3), 315–324. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/1438-390x.1030