Morphological variation between three populations of the Caspian Bent-toed Gecko, Cyrtopodion caspium (Eichwald, 1831) in Northern Iran: evidence for incipient speciation? (Sauria: Gekkonidae)

作者：Ahmadzadeh Faraham^*; Hojati Vida; Faghiri Afshin

来源：Zoology in the Middle East, 2010, 51: 31-38.

• Morphological variation
• Cyrtopodion caspium
• Moghan
• Damghan
• Sari
• Iran

In order to determine population variation in the Caspian Bent-toed Gecko, Cyrtopodion caspium, nine morphometric, six meristic and four ratios were assessed in 48 adult males from three populations in the northern part of Iran (Moghan Steppe, Damghan and Sari). The Moghan population proved to be the largest in most characters compared to the Damghan and Sari populations. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) discriminated the Moghan population in the northwest of Iran from the other two populations. Although all populations occupy different habitats, the lack of significant differences between two geographically close populations (Sari and Damghan) shows that habitat type on the larger scale is not the reason for separation. So it is inferred that the geographic isolation of the Moghan population and reduced gene flow are responsible for the incipient speciation occurring between these populations.

• 出版日期2010