Cytotaxonomy and DNA taxonomy of lizards (Squamata, Sauria) from a tropical dry forest in the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve on the coast of Jalisco, Mexico
Author
Castiglia, Riccardo
Author
Annesi, Flavia
Author
Bezerra, Alexandra M. R.
Author
García, Andrés
Author
Flores-Villela, Oscar
text
Zootaxa
2010
2508
1
29
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.196005
4a013300-d475-4db9-a5cf-bff30510ac4a
1175-5326
196005
Gerrhonotus
Wiegmann
The genus
Gerrhonotus
has a very problematic taxonomy, both at an intra- and interspecific levels.
Good (1994)
recognized three species, without subspecies, namely,
G. infernalis
,
G. liocephalus
and
G. ophiurus
(sometimes reported as subspecies of
G. liocephalus
). Recently
Elgaria parva
was included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis with other
Gerrhonotus
species, and it resulted in belonging to this genus (=
Gerrhonotus parvus
) (
Conroy
et al.
2005
). The populations from Jalisco-Colima are reported as
G. liocephalus
(
García & Ceballos 1994
;
Ramírez-Bautista 1994
) but they are studied from two specimens only. Their morphological characters are intermediate among
G. liocephalus
,
G. infernalis
and
G
.
ophiurus
and therefore they remained of uncertain identity and referred to
G.
cf.
liocephalus
by
Good (1994)
. Individuals possibly belonging to this taxon were also found in Colima, Durango and Sinaloa.
No species of this genus has been karyotyped. The karyotype is known only for three species of
Elgaria
and one species of
Mesaspis
,
which also belongs to the subfamily
Gerrhonotinae
(Bury
et al.
1969). These species show inter and intraspecific chromosomal variability.
Elgaria coerulea
has 2n = 38 (12 macro- and 26 microchromosomes);
Elgaria multicarinata
has 2n = 47–48 (21–22 macro- and 26 microchromosomes);
Elgaria paucicarinata
has 2n = 46 (20 macro- and 26 microchromosomes);
Mesaspis monticola
has 2n = 30 (18 macro- and 12 microchromosomes).