Identification of a Rare Gecko from North Island New Zealand, and Genetic Assessment of Its Probable Origin: A Novel Mainland Conservation Priority?

摘要: Abstract The largest extant New Zealand gecko, Hoplodactylus duvaucelii (Duvaucel's Gecko), is a nocturnal, viviparous species of conservation concern. duvaucelii, once widespread throughout Zealand, now confined to offshore islands, the majority which are free from all introduced mammalian predators (mice, rats, cats, mustelids, brushtail possums). A single H. caught within fenced reserve on North Island in 2010 was genotyped determine whether it represents recent introduction or previously unknown native relict population. Genotypes seven nuclear loci and minimum spanning network mtDNA haplotypes revealed two clusters representing southern (Cook Strait) northern island populations. This genetic structure concordant with variation between these groups observed body size, color pattern, scalation. mainland specimen found possess mixture morphological character states typical populations...