|
Vol. 52, 2013
DNA variations of the green toad Pseudepidalea viridis (syn. Bufo viridis) from
various habitats
Gad
Degani1,2*, Tali Goldberg2,4, Avital Gasith3,
Eldad Elron3 and Eviatar Nevo4
1MIGAL,
Galilee Technology Center, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel
2School of Science and Technology, Tel-Hai College,
Upper Galilee 12210, Israel
3Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life
Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
4Institute of Evolution, Faculty of Sciences and
Science Education, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel
Abstract
Background: The present study
examined genetic variations of the green toad Pseudepidalea viridis from different breeding
sites throughout Israel and in Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and Germany
(out-groups).
Results: Comparison of Cyt b and D-loop fragments from
Israeli sites with those from the four out-groups showed that analysis
of molecular variance (AMOVA) was greatest among regions. Values of
proportion of the total genetic variance among regions (PhiRT) in
Israeli sites were relatively low and not statistically significant. A
cluster analysis of RAPD for classifying P. viridis revealed a subgroup
comprising seven northernmost populations and three populations near
the southern and eastern deserts surrounding Israel. AFLP analysis
defined all individuals in a single cluster. Variations in P. viridis according to AMOVA test
of Israeli sites using GenAl were 2% among regions, 8% among
populations, and 90% within populations.
Conclusions: These findings support
the hypothesis that various ecological conditions in a relatively small
area have little effect on genetic variations.
Key words: Amphibians; AFLP; RAPD;
Mitochondrial genes.
*Correspondence: E-mail: gad@migal.org.il
|
