The origin of multiple clones in the parthenogenetic lizard species Darevskia rostombekowi

Abstract

The all-female Caucasian rock lizard Darevskia rostombekowi and other unisexual species of this genus reproduce normally via true parthenogenesis. Typically, diploid parthenogenetic reptiles exhibit some amount of clonal diversity. However, allozyme data from D. rostombekowi have suggested that this species consists of a single clone. Herein, we test this hypothesis by evaluating variation at three variable microsatellite loci for 42 specimens of D. rostombekowi from four populations in Armenia. Analyses based on single nucleotide polymorphisms of each locus reveal five genotypes or presumptive clones in this species. All individuals are heterozygous at the loci. The major clone occurs in 24 individuals and involves three populations. Four rare clones involve one or several individuals from one or two populations. Most variation owes to parent-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms, which occur as heterozygotes. This result fails to reject the hypothesis of a single hybridization founder event that resulted in the initial formation of one major clone. The other clones appear to have originated via post-formation microsatellite mutations of the major clone.

Extraordinary centromeres: differences in the meiotic chromosomes of two rock lizards speciesDarevskia portschinskiiandDarevskia raddei

“…The origin of parthenogenetic species from the hybridization of bisexual species has been confirmed from detailed studies of skin transplantation (Darevsky & Danielyan, 1979; Danielyan, 1987; Korkiya, 1976), allozyme data (Murphy et al, 1996, 2000; Uzzell & Darevsky, 1974, 1975; MacColloch et al, 1995), mitochondrial (Moritz et al, 1992; Fu, 1998; Fu, Murphy & Darevsky, 1997, 2000), and nuclear DNA sequences (Freitas et al, 2016; Ryskov et al, 2017; Khan et al, 1998; Tokarskaya et al, 2001; Grechko et al, 2006; Omelchenko et al, 2016). …”

“…According to the results of long term fundamental international studies initiated by Darevsky (1958, 1966, 1967, 1992) convincing evidence has been obtained that seven diploid parthenogenetic species of lizards of the Darevskia genus have resulted from hybridogenous speciation (Borkin & Darevsky, 1980; Moritz et al, 1992; Murphy et al, 1996, 2000; Fu, 1998; Fu, Murphy & Darevsky, 2000; Freitas et al, 2016; Ryskov et al, 2017). The origin of parthenogenetic species from the hybridization of bisexual species has been confirmed from detailed studies of skin transplantation (Darevsky & Danielyan, 1979; Danielyan, 1987; Korkiya, 1976), allozyme data (Murphy et al, 1996, 2000; Uzzell & Darevsky, 1974, 1975; MacColloch et al, 1995), mitochondrial (Moritz et al, 1992; Fu, 1998; Fu, Murphy & Darevsky, 1997, 2000), and nuclear DNA sequences (Freitas et al, 2016; Ryskov et al, 2017; Khan et al, 1998; Tokarskaya et al, 2001; Grechko et al, 2006; Omelchenko et al, 2016).…”

New records and geographic distribution of the sympatric zones of unisexual and bisexual rock lizards of the genus Darevskia in Armenia and adjacent territories

“…At present, it has been found that parthenogenesis in reptiles is known in less than 0.46% of species (Fujita and Moritz 2009). In general, cytological, genetic, morphological and ecological studies have shown that parthenogenetic lizards of the genus Darevskia, namely D. dahli (Darevsky, 1957), D. rostombekowi (Darevsky, 1957), D. uzzelli (Darevsky et Danielyan 1977), D. armeniaca (Méhely, 1909), D. unisexualis (Darevsky, 1966), D. sapphirina (Schmidtler et al, 1994) and D. bendimahiensis (Schmidtler et al, 1994) have originated as a result of natural hybridisation between bisexual parental species (Darevsky 1958, Darevsky 1967, Uzzell and Darevsky 1975, Macculloch et al 1997, Fu et al 1999, Fu et al 2000a, Fu et al 2000b, Murphy et al 2000, Kupriyanova 1999, Martirosian et al 2002, Martirosian et al 2003, Malysheva et al 2007a, Malysheva et al 2007b.…”

“…It has been established that only four parental bisexual species were involved in the origin of clonal forms: the females of D. raddei (Boettger, 1892) and D. mixta (Méhely, 1909) as "maternal" species and the males of D. valentini (Boettger, 1892) and D. portschinskii (Kessler, 1878) as "paternal" species (Fu et al 1997, Murphy et al 2000. The bisexual species D. raddei most often participated in hybridisation.…”

Molecular discrimination and phylogeographic patterns of clones of the parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris in the Japanese Archipelago

“…However, such clonal polymorphisms have been still unclear in geckos because no information is available regarding the modern genetic approaches of these clones. In other parthenogenetic lizard species, clonal analyses have been done based on modern molecular tools; for example, clonal diversity in local populations of the Caucasian rock lizards Darevskia dahli and Darevskia rostombekowi using three microsatellite loci (Ryskov et al, ; Vergun et al, ), hybrid origins of clonal Darevskia armeniaca and D. dahli based on five microsatellite loci and mitochondrial haplotypes (Tarkhnishvili, Murtskhvaladze, & Anderson, ), and nonhybrid origins of clonal neotropical night lizards Lepidophyma reticulatum and Lepidophyma flavimaculatum by the phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences and 14 microsatellite loci (Sinclair, Pramuk, Bezy, Crandall, & Sites Jr, ).…”