Molecular and morphological differentiation of Secret Toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus mystaceus, with the description of a new subspecies from Iran (Reptilia, Agamidae)

By

Solovyeva, Evgeniya
Dunayev, Evgeniy
Nazarov, Roman
Rajabizadeh, Mehdi
Poyarkov, Nikolay

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

748

Pages

97-129

Subjects

Khorasan , molecular phylogenetics , Morphology , Phrynocephalus mystaceus khorasanus , phylogeography , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.748.20507

 

Abstract

The morphological and genetic variation of a wide-ranging Secret Toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalusmystaceus that inhabits sand deserts of south-eastern Europe, Middle East, Middle Asia, and western China is reviewed. Based on the morphological differences and high divergence in COI (mtDNA) gene sequences a new subspecies of Ph.mystaceus is described from Khorasan Razavi Province in Iran. Partial sequences of COI mtDNA gene of 31 specimens of Ph.mystaceus from 17 localities from all major parts of species range were analyzed. Genetic distances show a deep divergence between Ph.mystaceuskhorasanus ssp. n. from Khorasan Razavi Province and all other populations of Ph.mystaceus. The new subspecies can be distinguished from other populations of Ph.mystaceus by a combination of several morphological features. Molecular and morphological analyses do not support the validity of other Ph.mystaceus subspecies described from Middle Asia and Caspian basin. Geographic variations in the Ph.mystaceus species complex and the status of previously described subspecies were discussed.