First data on the molecular phylogeography of scincid lizards of the genusMabuya

A 487-bp fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene was sequenced in 26 sp ecies of the circumtropical lizard genus Mabuya and used to analyze phyloge netic relationships within the genus. The species from Africa and Madagasca r formed a monophyletic group relative to the included Asian and South Amer ican tare. The Malagasy species included (M. elegans, M. cf. dumasi, and M. comorensis) did not appear as a monophylum. Combined and separate analysis of the 16S data and additional sequences of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, ND 4, and cytochrome b genes (a total of 2255 bp) in one Asian, two Malagasy, and two African species also did not result consistently in a monophyletic grouping of the Malagasy tare. However, a monophylum containing African and Malagasy tars was strongly supported by the combined analysis. These preli minary results indicate that Mabuya probably colonized Madagascar from Afri ca through the Mozambique Channel. (C) 2000 Academic Press.