Genetical and behavioral studies on geographic variation and speciation in the genus Eumeces in Japan

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Two species, Eumeces okadae and E. latiscutatus have been considered to be distributed in Izu Islands and Japan main islands, respectively. Our Preliminary genetic study suggested that the population of Izu Penisula may belong to the island form, E. okadae. We surveyed the distribution of this species in Hoshu and discovered the distribution boundaries of the two species. The western boundary is situated in Fuji-river, and the eastern boundary is between Odawara and Kamakura. Allozyme analyses showed the Odawara population is included in a cluster of the populaiotns of Izu Peninsula and Izu islands and one hybrid was obtaine from the Odawara population.Behavioral experiments on species recognition between these two species were conducted in 1998-1999. In the first year the experiments were failed because the breeding started too early in tremendously warm spring. In 1999 we conducted again these experiments. Results indicated that males of E. latiscutatus from Kyoto discriminated conspecifice males. Most males of Kyoto attacked males of Oita, Kyushu as well as a control. They did not attack males of E. okadae from Mikura-jima and Kozu-shima, Izu Islands. In some case, they tried to copulate with them. The Odawara males were not attacked as males of E. okadae. These results stongly suggested that two species recognize each other and they are in the relationship in biological species in the sense of Mayr.