Phylogeny ofTrachylepissp. (Reptilia) from Turkey inferred from mtDNA sequences

Abstract

The taxonomic status of the species included into the genus Trachylepis in Turkey are doubtful. So far, three morphological species have been attributed to this genus in Turkey; Trachylepis aurata. T. vittata, and T. septemtaeniata. Here, we investigated the taxonomy of the Turkish Trachylepis species by employing phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches and using mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b and 12 S rRNA). In total, 45 Trachylepis and 6 Mabuya specimens were used analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) methods. The phylogenetic relationships and the genetic distances retrieved, revealed that the Turkish species, which currently recognized as Trachylepis, are highly diversified, forming a distinct clade that shows closer phylogenetic affinity with the species of the genus Mabuya rather than the other Trachylepis species. In this clade, the three Turkish species are monophyletic with T. vittata to branch off first in late Miocene (10.54 Mya). The other two species (T. septemtaeniata and T. aurata) seem to have sister group relationship that diverged at the end of Messinian Salinity Crisis (5.27 Mya). As a whole, the examination of mtDNA lineages in the Turkish lizards of the genus Trachylepis may contribute substantially to the refining of their taxonomic status, since the three species of Turkey, although monophyletic, represent a distinct radiation that would could probably recognized as a different genus in Mabuya sensu lato.

Herpetofaunal inventory of Van Province, eastern Anatolia, Turkey

“…Longitidunal rows of small spots on the dorsum is also a colour-pattern characteristics of Heremites septemtaeniatus (Moravec et al 2006); however, the reliability of the contact position of third supraocular and frontal as a distinctive character between H. auratus and H. septemtaeniatus and the occurrence of H. septemtaeniatus in Turkey was considered doubtful by Durmuş et al (2011). Although taxonomic reorganization is still needed for the aforementioned taxa (Güçlü et al 2014), it is considered that the sample in the present study resembles H. a. transcaucasicus, which is not mentioned from Turkey in the previous literature (Moravec et al 2006;Durmuş et al 2011;Güçlü et al 2014). Since any additional specimens from the site could not be found, the morphological variation could not be assessed.…”

The first pre‐Quaternary fossil record of the clade Mabuyidae with a comment on the enclosure of the Meckelian canal in skinks

“…Based on Güçlü et al . (2014), the three Turkish species Heremites auratus , H. vittatus and H. septemtaeniatus are monophyletic, and these authors suggested that the H. vittatus lineage split first, in the late Miocene (10.54 Ma). The other two species ( H. septemtaeniatus and H. auratus ) seem to diverge at the end of the Messinian Salinity Crisis (5.27 Ma).…”

“…(2013) for skink and cordyliform relationships, and on Güçlü et al . (2014) and Karin et al . (2016) for Mabuyidae relationships.…”

The Study on the Relationships Between the Age Structure and Body Size of the Bridled Skink, Heremites vittatus, (Oliver, 1804) from Different Altitudes in Turkey

“…Data on new locality, osteology, and phylogenetic of H. vittatus exist in the literature (Güçlü et al, 2014;Rastergar-Pouyani et al, 2013;Kumlutaş et al, 2015). However, there is limited data about life-history such as age structure, growth pattern, or longevity of H. vittatus (Kalaycı et al, 2018).…”