Systematics of Iguanian Lizards (Squamata, Reptilia): Integration of Molecular and Morphological Evidence

这是一项为期五年的蜥蜴系统学研究。形态特征和分子特征都将被用来解决斑点鱼科、多角点鱼科、斑点鱼科和基性网虫之间的关系。三个线粒体基因(16S rRNA、细胞色素C氧化酶亚基I和细胞色素C氧化酶亚基III)将被测序，以努力研究更新的分歧。涉及较老血统分歧的关系将使用核单拷贝基因的核苷酸序列来确定。将对分子研究中使用的同一分类群进行详细的比较形态研究，并将使用几种分析方法评估每种数据的内在质量和信息。鬣蜥代表了生物多样性的脊椎动物群体，其中新大陆科(主要发生在南美洲)比东半球蜥蜴(以马达加斯加的类群为代表)的多样性要大得多。这一多学科方法的结果将为理解位于世界不同地区的相关类群的分子和形态变化提供一个框架。从这项研究中获得的总体变化模式也可以为理解这一世界生物群的重要组成部分的生态、生理和行为提供基础。

This is a five year study of the systematics of Iguanian lizards. Both morphological and molecular characters will be used to address the relationships within the Tropiduridae, Polychrotidae, Chamaeleonidae, and basal agamines. Three mitochondrial genes (16S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit III) will be sequenced in a effort to investigate more recent divergences. Relationships involving older lineage divergences will be determined using nucleotide sequences from nuclear single-copy genes. Detailed comparative morphological studies will be conducted on the same taxa used in the molecular study, and the intrinsic qualities and information of each kind of data will be evaluated using several analytical approaches. %%% Iguanian lizards represent a biologically diverse group of vertebrates, with the New World families (occurring primarily in South America) being considerably more diverse than their Old World counterparts (represented by taxa in Madagascar). The results from this multidisciplinary approach to understanding the diversity of this group of vertebrates will provide a framework for understanding molecular and morphological change in a related group of taxa located in different regions of the World. The overall pattern of variation obtained from this study can also provide a basis for understanding the ecology, physiology, and behavior of this important component of the World's biota.