Divergence of the cytochrome b gene in the Lacerta raddei complex and its parthenogenetic daughter species: Evidence for recent multiple origins

Questions concerning the origin of parthenogenesis in Caucasian Rock Lizard s and genetic divergence among bisexual lizards of the Lacerta raddei compl ex were examined using sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The maternal parent of the parthenogenetic L. uzzelli, L. sapphirina, and L . bendimahiensis was confirmed to be L. raddei. Although substantial variat ion was revealed among bisexual populations of L. raddei and L. nairensis, very low or no variation was found among the parthenogenetic species, A phy logenetic tree including 11 populations of L. raddei and L. nairensis, as w ell as 10 populations of its five daughter parthenogens, was constructed. B ecause of paraphyletic relationships, L. nairensis is considered conspecifi c with L. raddei. Evaluation of the parthenogenetic species suggests that s eparate hybridization events between L. raddei and L. valentini might have occurred at least twice. One resulted in L. sapphirina and L. bendimahiensi s, and the other one (or more) resulted in L. unisexualis and L. uzzelli. T he females involved were distantly related. Lacerta unisexualis and L. uzze lli likely had separate origins, but the females involved were closely rela ted.