On the Discovery of Bisexual Populations of the Parthenogenetic Lizard Leposoma percarinatum (Gymnophthalmidae), with Insights into the Origin of Parthenogenesis in Leposoma

Author(s):Show less -

Souza, Sergio Marques ^[1] ; Pellegrino, Katia C. M. ^[2] ; Sales Nunes, Pedro M. ^[3] ; Teixeira Junior, Mauro ^[1] ; Gordo, Marcelo ^[4] ; de Carvalho, Vinicius T. ^[5] ; Almeida, Alexandre ^[4] ; de Oliveira, Deyla Paula ^[5] ; Frazao, Luciana ^[4] ; Hrbek, Tomas ^[5] ; Farias, Izeni Pires ^[5] ; Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Zool, Rua Matao, Travessa 14, 32, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Biol, BR-09972270 Diadema, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Pernambuco, Dept Zool, Ctr Ciencias Biol, BR-50670901 Recife, PE - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Amazonas, Dept Biol, BR-69080900 Manaus, AM - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Amazonas, Dept Genet, Lab Evolucao & Genet Anim, BR-69080900 Manaus, AM - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: South American Journal of Herpetology; v. 10, n. 2, p. 121-131, AUG 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Leposoma percarinatum is one of the two recognized parthenogenetic species in the lizard family Gymnophthalmidae, and only females have been reported to date. Here we report and describe the first known males attributed to the species from two localities of northwestern Amazonia. We compare the morphological variation (15 meristic and 10 discrete characters, all relevant to species identification in Leposoma) of males and females from these populations with that of specimens from unisexual populations to test the hypothesis that they belong to the same species. We did not find significant morphological differences between unisexual and bisexual populations, except for those associated with sexual dimorphism. Additionally, we reviewed literature dealing with the origin of parthenogenesis in L. percarinatum and we provide some insights into this subject, in view of the discovery of males in this species. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/10163-1 - Phylogeny and systematics of the lizards genus Leposoma gr. parietale (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae), based on morphological and molecular characters
• Grantee: Sérgio Marques de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/50146-6 - Comparative phylogeography, phylogeny, paleoclimate modeling, and taxonomy of neotropical reptiles and amphibians
• Grantee: Miguel Trefaut Urbano Rodrigues
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants