| trilineata: Holotype: unlocated
hansschweizeri: Syntypes: lost, previously ZSM (SLM) 2010, collected by H. Schweizer, 05.1934, lost fide Franzen & Glaw 2007.
major: Syntypes: BMNH
polylepidota: Syntypes: NMW |
Bedriaga, J. von (1886) - Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Lacertiden-Familie. (Lacerta, Algiroides, Tropidosaura, Zerzumia und Bettaia). - Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 14: 17-443.   Godinho, R. & Crespo, E.G. & Ferrand, N. & Harris, D.J. (2005) - Phylogeny and evolution of the green lizards, Lacerta spp. (Squamata: Lacertidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences - Amphibia-Reptilia, 26 (3): 271-285.   × Partial DNA sequences from three mitochondrial (cytochrome b, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) and two nuclear (-fibrinogen intron 7 and C-mos) genes were used to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among all eight extant species of green lizards, Lacerta sensu stricto, and many currently recognized subspecies. All eight species form a monophyletic group. L. agilis, L. schreiberi and L. strigata are genetically well differentiated species. L. trilineata and L. pamphylica are not monophyletic units based on analyses of the -fibrinogen intron 7. Lacerta media is closely related to some Lacerta trilineata. L. bilineata and L. viridis are closely related, and recognition of L. bilineata as a distinct species makes L. viridis paraphyletic also. For both L. bilineata and L. viridis, some subspecies appear to remain in their southern glacial refugia, while a single genetic entity shows successfully postglacial expansion. The topology derived from C-mos variation is concordant with that derived from mtDNA, with substitutions occurring at a similar rate to that of transversions in the rRNA genes. Although C-mos is typically used at deeper taxonomic levels it is also phylogenetically informative within green lizards. -fibrinogen intron 7, typically used for assessing phylogenetic relationships among bird species, is a useful phylogenetic marker for reptiles also, showing considerable variation between species. There is not complete concordance between estimates of relationships derived from the mtDNA and nuclear markers, probably because rapid diversification led to incomplete lineage sorting in the green lizards. Introgression could also be occuring between some species. Kornilios P. & Thanou E. & Lymberakis P. & Ilgaz Ç. & Kumlutaş Y. & Leaché A. (2019) - A phylogenomic resolution for the taxonomy of Aegean green lizards. - Zoologica Scripta, 49 (1): 14-27. × Lacerta pamphylica and Lacerta trilineata are two currently recognized green lizard species with a historically problematic taxonomy. In cases of tangled phylogenies, next‐generation sequencing and double‐digest restriction‐site‐associated DNA protocols can provide a wealth of genomic data and resolve difficult taxonomic issues. Here, we generated genome‐wide SNPs and mitochondrial sequences, and applied molecular species delimitation approaches to provide a stable taxonomy for the Aegean green lizards. Mitochondrial gene trees, genetic cluster delimitation and population structure analyses converged into recognizing the populations of (a) L. pamphylica, (b) east Aegean islands, Anatolia and Thrace (diplochondrodes lineage), (c) central Aegean islands (citrovittata), and (d) remaining Balkan populations and islands (trilineata), as separate clusters. Phylogenomic analyses revealed a split into two major clades, east and west of the Aegean Barrier, unambiguously showing a sister–clade relationship between pamphylica and diplochondrodes, rendering L. trilineata paraphyletic. Species delimitation models were tested in a Bayesian framework using the genomic SNPs: lumping all populations into a single ‘species’ had the lowest likelihood but the current taxonomy was also outperformed by all other models. All lines of evidence support the Pamphylian green lizard as a valid species; thus, east Aegean L. trilineata should also be considered a distinct species under the name Lacerta diplochondrodes. Finally, evidence from the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes is overwhelmingly in favour of recognizing the morphologically distinct Cycladian green lizards as a distinct species. We propose their elevation to full species under the name Lacerta citrovittata. All remaining insular and continental populations of the Balkan Peninsula represent the species L. trilineata.
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