Relationships of wall lizards, Podarcis (Reptilia : Lacertidae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences

Mitochondrial DNA sequence data support conclusions based on morphology, th at Podarcis is a clade and is derived from the paraphyletic genus Lacerta, its immediate outgroups being Lacerta andreanszkyi and then the sister spec ies L. perspicillata and L. dugesii. Within Podarcis, there are four geogra phically coherent clades: the Western island group-filfolensis (lilfordi, p ityusensis), tiliguerta; the Balkan group[(mel-isellensis, taurica) (gaigea e, milenis) and perhaps wagleriana and (erhardii, peloponne-siaca)]; the It alian group-sicula, (raffonei, muralis); and the Southwestern group-(atrata , bocagei), hispanica.