Multilocus phylogeny and revised classification for mountain dragons of the genusJapalura s.l. (Reptilia: Agamidae: Draconinae) from Asia
2018/05/04 by Kai Wang, Jing Che, Si‐Min Lin +12 · 35 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Biology #Clade #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Evolutionary biology #Genetic diversity and population structure #Genetics #Genus #Paraphyly #Phylogenetic tree #Phylogenetics #Sensu #Subfamily #Taxonomy (biology) #Zoology
paper · doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zly034
published in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 185(1), 246-267 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2018/05/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Abstract
Although the genus Japalura s.l. has long been recognized as paraphyletic based on limited genetic sampling, its problematic taxonomy has not been revised, and phylogenetic relationships among the majority of congeners remain unknown. Here we utilize a densely sampled dataset of both multilocus genetic and morphological data to provide the first phylogenetic inference of relationships among Japalura s.l.species. Our results show that Japalura s.l. is paraphyletic, consisting of four major clades that are scattered across the phylogeny of the subfamily Draconinae: the first clade from the western, central and middle-eastern Trans-Himalayas, the second clade from the far eastern Trans-Himalayas, the third clade from East Asia and the last clade from Indochina. To address this widespread paraphyly of the genus and to stabilize the taxonomy within the family Draconinae, we revise the current taxonomy and split Japalura s.l. into four genera. By doing so, we recognize two existing generic names, Japalura sensu stricto and Pseudocalotes, resurrect one name available in the literature, Diploderma, and describe one new genus, Cristidorsa gen. nov. We discuss phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy within Japalura s.l. and present a diagnostic key to all recognized genera of the subfamily Draconinae.
Citations
Cited by
- Two new species of the genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata, Scincidae) from southwestern China
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- Trans-marine dispersal inferred from the saltwater tolerance of lizards from Taiwan. [europepmc]
- Blood cells and hematological parameters of the mountain dragon, Diploderma micangshanensis (Squamata: Lacertilia: Agamidae). [europepmc]
- Feeding ecology of Swinhoe's tree lizard (Diploderma swinhonis (Günther, 1864)) in Hyuga City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. [europepmc]
- Three new species of Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Squamata, Agamidae) from the Hengduan Mountain Region, south-western China. [europepmc]
- Four new species of the genus Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Squamata, Agamidae) from China. [europepmc]
- Their fates intertwined: diversification patterns of the Asian gliding vertebrates may have been forged by dipterocarp trees. [europepmc]
- Hiding on jagged karst pinnacles: A new microendemic genus and species of a limestone-dwelling agamid lizard (Squamata: Agamidae: Draconinae) from Khammouan Province, Laos. [europepmc]
- A New Species of the Genus Pseudocalotes (Squamata: Agamidae) from Southwest Yunnan, China. [europepmc]
- A New Species of Diploderma (Squamata, Agamidae) from the Valley of Dadu River in Sichuan Province, with a Redescription of Topotypes of D. splendidum from Hubei Province, China. [europepmc]
- A new species of Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Squamata, Agamidae) discovered in the upper Dadu River valley of the Hengduan Mountains, Sichuan, China. [europepmc]
- Analysis of the Composition and Phylogenetic Relationships of the Acanthosaura coronata Complex Including Molecular Identification of Historical Specimens. [europepmc]
- A New Species of the Genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Hengduan Mountains, Sichuan Province, Western China [europepmc]
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