CONSERVATION GENETICS OF INSULAR PODARCIS LIZARDS USING PARTIAL CYTOCHROME-B SEQUENCES

Sequence data derived from a 306 bp fragment of mitochondrial cytochro me b and molecular variance estimates were used to investigate the gen etic population structure of the endangered and endemic lizard Podarci s atrata of the Columbretes archipelago (Mediterranean, Spain). Our re sults show a very high and significant among-population genetic differ entiation. Fs, values and phylogenetic analyses confirm the evolutiona ry distinctiveness of P. atrata populations, suggesting that the popul ations of these islands deserve special protection measures. The popul ations of the two islands Columbrete Grande and Mancolibre are less di fferentiated than those of Foradada and Lobo, and seem to have retaine d mainland haplotypes. This situation needs further attention as the o rigin of the mainland haplotypes is still unclear. If they are a resul t of recent introductions from mainland specimens, then they may repre sent a threat to the endemic lizards of the Columbretes islands.