Molecular Assessment and Taxonomic Status of the Rapid Racerunner (Eremias velox complex) with Particular Attention to the Populations in Northwestern China  

作　　者：Jinlong LIU Natalia A.ANANJEVA Marina A.CHIRIKOVA Konstantin D.MILTO Xianguang GUO 

机构地区：[1]Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences [2]University of Chinese Academy of Sciences [3]Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences [4]Institute of Zoology, Committee of Scientific Ministry of Education and Science

出　　处：《Asian Herpetological Research》2014年第1期12-25,共14页亚洲两栖爬行动物研究（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31272281);Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-EW-Q-6);Projects of the Bureau of International Co-operation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 1136, 1327, 1441)

摘　　要：The rapid racerunner,Eremias velox,is a widely distributed lizard from the northern Caucasus across entire Central Asia eastward to China.It is increasingly common to accept E.velox as a species complex in its entire range.To date,published morphological and molecular systematic hypotheses of this complex are only partially congruent,and its taxonomic status and evolutionary history are still far from clear.The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and12S rRNA sequences were used to evaluate the taxonomy of this complex,with particular attention to the phylogenetic placement of populations in northwestern China.Examination of the phylogenetic analyses recovers seven distinct,biogeographically discrete,and well-supported clades,revealing genetically identifiable populations corresponding to some previously morphology-defined subspecies.Chinese E.v.roborowskii appears to have split from other Central Asian rapid racerunner lizards well before differentiation occurred among the latter taxa.Specifically,we corroborate that there are two subspecies occurring in China,i.e.,E.v.velox and E.v.roborowskii.We recommend a novel subspecific status for the phenotypically and genetically distinct populations in southern Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan previously assigned to E.v.velox.Finally,each of the three independently evolving lineages from Iranian Plateau should be recognized as three species new to science under the general lineage concept.The rapid racerunner,Eremias velox,is a widely distributed lizard from the northern Caucasus across entire Central Asia eastward to China.It is increasingly common to accept E.velox as a species complex in its entire range.To date,published morphological and molecular systematic hypotheses of this complex are only partially congruent,and its taxonomic status and evolutionary history are still far from clear.The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and12S rRNA sequences were used to evaluate the taxonomy of this complex,with particular attention to the phylogenetic placement of populations in northwestern China.Examination of the phylogenetic analyses recovers seven distinct,biogeographically discrete,and well-supported clades,revealing genetically identifiable populations corresponding to some previously morphology-defined subspecies.Chinese E.v.roborowskii appears to have split from other Central Asian rapid racerunner lizards well before differentiation occurred among the latter taxa.Specifically,we corroborate that there are two subspecies occurring in China,i.e.,E.v.velox and E.v.roborowskii.We recommend a novel subspecific status for the phenotypically and genetically distinct populations in southern Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan previously assigned to E.v.velox.Finally,each of the three independently evolving lineages from Iranian Plateau should be recognized as three species new to science under the general lineage concept.

关 键 词：mtDNA subspecies Eremias velox complex taxonomy phylogeography 

分 类 号：Q959.6[生物学—动物学]