Species identification of Caucasian rock lizards in the Jradzor population (Armenia) based on microsatellite genotyping data

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Abstract

A characteristic feature of Caucasian rock lizards is the diversity of parthenogenetic species and the ongoing processes of interspecific hybridization in the zones of sympatry of unisexual and bisexual species with the formation of polyploid hybrids. This is the reason for the interest in studying the species composition of various, especially mixed, populations of Darevskia. According to the preliminary description of the morphological characteristics of lizards from the previously unstudied Jradzor population of Armenia, it was assumed that only unisexual individuals live in it, but the affiliation of the species was questioned. In the present work, microsatellite genotyping of lizards from this population (n = 24) was carried out using locus-specific PCR and subsequent full-length sequencing of the identified alleles. As a result, the species composition of this sample was established, including individuals of the parthenospecies Darevskia dahli, D. unisexualis, and D. armeniaca. Individuals identified as D. dahli have the same alleles from the studied loci as in other populations of Armenia. However, the multilocus genotypes formed by the alleles are different. The individual identified as D. armeniaca carries the most common multilocus genotype. In D. unisexualis individuals, a new allele (allele B) was identified at the Du281 locus, which reflects the phenomenon of intraspecific polymorphism of parthenogenetic species. Thus, an unusual feature of the Jradzor population is the sympatric habitation of three and possibly four parthenogenetic species of Darevskia, if the presence of D. uzzellii in Armenia is further confirmed.

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About the authors

D. O. Odegov

Institute of Gene Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: irena-m@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, 117334, Moscow, 34/5 Vavilov str.

V. A. Parshukova

Russian State Agrarian University — Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A. Timiryazev

Email: irena-m@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, 127550, Moscow, 49 Timiryazevskaya str.

M. S. Arakelyan

Yerevan State University

Email: irena-m@yandex.ru
Armenia, 0025, Yerevan, 1 Alek Manukyan str.

A. F. Grigoryan

Shirak State University named after M. Nalbandyan

Email: irena-m@yandex.ru
Armenia, 3126, Gyumri, 4 P. Sevak str.

A. P. Ryskov

Institute of Gene Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: irena-m@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, 117334, Moscow, 34/5 Vavilov str.

I. A. Martirosyan

Institute of Gene Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: irena-m@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, 117334, Moscow, 34/5 Vavilov str.

References

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Electrophoretic fractionation of the amplification products of the Du215 locus of unisexual species (1–8), bisexual species (19–28), and the studied individuals (9–18) in PAGE. 1, 2 — D. armeniaca; 3, 4 — D. dahli; 5, 6 — D. unisexualis; 7, 8 — D. rostombekowi; 9–18 — the studied individuals; 19, 20 — D. mixta; 21–23 — D. raddei; 24, 25 — D. valentini; 26–28 — D. portschinskii. M — molecular marker of fragment length Low range “Thermo Scientific”.

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3. Fig. 2. Results of fractionation of microsatellite loci amplification products in PAGE. Du215, Du47G, Du281: 1–2 — D. dahli; 3–8 — studied individuals (2022); 9, 10 — D. unisexualis; 11–13 — studied individuals (2022); 14, 15 — D. armeniaca, 16 — studied individual (2022). Du323: 1–2 — D. dahli; 3–8 — studied individuals (2022); 9, 10 — D. armeniaca; 11 — studied individual (2022); 12, 13 — D. unisexualis; 14–16 — studied individuals (2022). M — Low range “Thermo Scientific” molecular fragment length marker.

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4. Fig. 3. Result of fractionation of amplification products of microsatellite loci in PAGE. 1–3 — studied individuals (2022); 4–16 — studied individuals (2024); 17, 18 — D. unisexualis; 19, 20 — studied individuals (2024 and 2022); 21 — D. armeniaca. M — molecular marker of fragment length Low range “Thermo Scientific”.

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