COMPARATIVE ECOLOGY OF SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL GECKO SPECIES (LEPIDODACTYLUS) IN FRENCH-POLYNESIA

Citation
Ka. Hanley et al., COMPARATIVE ECOLOGY OF SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL GECKO SPECIES (LEPIDODACTYLUS) IN FRENCH-POLYNESIA, Evolutionary ecology, 8(4), 1994, pp. 438-454
Citations number
48
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Genetics & Heredity",Ecology,Biology
Journal title
ISSN journal
0269-7653
Volume
8
Issue
4
Year of publication
1994
Pages
438 - 454
Database
ISI
SICI code
0269-7653(1994)8:4<438:CEOSAA>2.0.ZU;2-H
Abstract
The asexual gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris, its sexual congener L. sp. (Takapoto) and hybrids between the two species inhabit the atoll of Ta kapoto, providing a natural experiment for studying co-existence and i nteractions between asexual and sexual populations. The range of the s exual species is confined to one section of the lagoon beach and the t rees and buildings which abut it, whereas the asexual is distributed a cross the whole atoll and occupies many habitats. Behavioural experime nts revealed no asymmetry in levels of aggression between the two spec ies, suggesting that the confinement of L. sp. (Takapoto) to the lagoo n beach is not due to agonistic interactions. Ecological differences a mong the constituent clones of the asexual species exist but cannot co mpletely account for the broader habitat use of the asexual. Within a single habitat, one clone of L. lugubris consumes a wider range of pre y items than its sexual relative. Other studies have found that the as exuals are extremely heterozygous relative to the sexuals; we hypothes ize that their broad ecological tolerance may be attributable to heter osis. The co-existence of the sexual and parthenogenetic lizards on th is small island seems to be stable and may be facilitated by the speci alization of the sexual taxon to beach habitats.