A Review of Sex Determining Mechanisms in Geckos (Gekkota: Squamata)

Authors

Tony Gamble, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Publication Date

2010

Publisher

Karger

Source Publication

Sexual Development

Source ISSN

1661-5425

Abstract

Geckos are a species-rich clade of reptiles possessing diverse sex determining mechanisms. Some species possess genetic sex determination, with both male and female heterogamety, while other species have temperature-dependent sex determination. I compiled information from the literature on the taxonomic distribution of these sex determining mechanisms in geckos. Using phylogenetic data from the literature, I reconstructed the minimum number of transitions among these sex determining mechanisms with parsimony-based ancestral state reconstruction. While only a small number of gecko species have been characterized, numerous changes among sex determining mechanisms were inferred. This diversity, coupled with the high frequency of transitions, makes geckos excellent candidates as a model clade for the study of vertebrate sex determination and evolution.

Comments

Accepted version. Sexual Development, Vol. 4, No. 1-2 (2010): 88-103. DOI. © 2010 Karger. Used with permission.

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

Recommended Citation

Gamble, Tony, "A Review of Sex Determining Mechanisms in Geckos (Gekkota: Squamata)" (2010). Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications. 768.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/768