TESTING THE CONTEXT AND EXTENT OF HOST-PARASITE COEVOLUTION - NEMATODES PARASITIZING CUBAN LIZARDS (SAURIA, IGUANIDAE)

The co-evolution patterns were tested in four genera of Cuban lizards from the family Iguanidae (Chamaeleolis, Anolis, Cyclura, Leiocephalus ) and in 20 nematode species parasitising them. The similarity of nema tode fauna amongst the host genera was evaluated by cluster analysis, using three methods of the presence absence coding. The results sugges ted a mutual similarity of the nematode fauna of the 'anoline lineage' (Chamaeleolis, Anolis - subfam. Anolinae) and Leiocephalus, and a dis similarity of the 'iguanine lineage' (Cyclura, subfam. Iguaninae). Thi s method is obviously less sensible for the interpretation of co-evolu tion in the genus Leiocephalus and its nematode fauna.