Out of the Blue: A Novel, Trans‐Atlantic Clade of Geckos (Gekkota, Squamata)

Authors

Tony Gamble, Marquette UniversityFollow
Aaron M. Bauer, Villanova University
Eli Greenbaum, Villanova University
Todd R. Jackman, Villanova University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2008

Publisher

Wiley

Source Publication

Zoologica Scripta

Source ISSN

0300-3256

Abstract

Phylogenetic relationships among gekkotan lizards were estimated from five nuclear protein-coding genes in separate and combined analyses using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. All analyses recovered a monophyletic trans-Atlantic gecko clade (Phyllodactylidae) consisting of the genera Asaccus, Haemodracon, Homonota, Phyllodactylus, Phyllopezus, Ptyodactylus, Tarentola and Thecadactylus. No other phylogenetic or taxonomic hypotheses have proposed linking these genera, which have been consistently grouped with other taxa outside of the clade. In this paper, we determine the relationships of this new clade to other major gekkotan groups, evaluate previous phylogenetic hypotheses regarding constituent members of this novel clade, and critically examine the use of historically important morphological characters in gekkotan systematics as they relate to this novel clade, specifically — phalangeal formulae, hyoid morphology and external structure of the toe-pads.

Comments

Accepted version. Zoologica Scripta, Vol. 37, No. 4 (July 2008): 355-366. DOI. © 2008 Wiley. Used with permission.

Tony Gamble was affiliated with University of Minnesota at the time of publication.

Recommended Citation

Gamble, Tony; Bauer, Aaron M.; Greenbaum, Eli; and Jackman, Todd R., "Out of the Blue: A Novel, Trans‐Atlantic Clade of Geckos (Gekkota, Squamata)" (2008). Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications. 872.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/872