Contrasting evolutionary histories of the legless lizards slow worms (Anguis) shaped by the topography of the Balkan Peninsula

0459276 - ÚBO 2017 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Jablonski, D. - Jandzik, D. - Mikulíček, P. - Džukić, G. - Ljubisavljević, K. - Tzankov, N. - Jelić, D. - Thanou, E. - Moravec, J. - Gvoždík, Václav
Contrasting evolutionary histories of the legless lizards slow worms (Anguis) shaped by the topography of the Balkan Peninsula.
BMC Evolutionary Biology. Roč. 16, č. 1 (2016), č. článku 99. ISSN 1471-2148. E-ISSN 1471-2148
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : Anguidae * Squamata * phylogeography * biogeography * speciation * contact zones * microrefugia * Balkan mountains
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology
Impact factor: 3.221, year: 2016

We inferred phylogenetic relationships, compared genetic structure and historical demography of slow worms using nucleotide sequence variation of mitochondrial DNA. Four Anguis species with mostly parapatric distributions occur in the Balkan Peninsula. They show different levels of genetic diversity. A signature of population growth was detected in all four species but with various courses in particular populations. We found a strong correlation between genetic diversity of slow-worm populations and topographic ruggedness of the ranges (mountain systems) they inhabit. Areas with more rugged terrain harbour higher genetic diversity. Phylogeographical pattern of the genus Anguis in the Balkans is concordant with the refugiawithin-refugia model previously proposed for both several other taxa in the region and other main European Peninsulas. While slow-worm populations from the southern refugia mostly have restricted distributions and have not dispersed much from their refugial areas, populations from the extra-Mediterranean refugia in northern parts of the Balkans have colonized vast areas of eastern, central, and western Europe. Besides climatic historical events, the heterogeneous topography of the Balkans has also played an important role in shaping genetic diversity of slow worms.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0259502