The ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus) is a widespread lizard, naturally distributed between the Maghreb and coastal Pakistan, with few insular populations in the Mediterranean coastal area. Some populations of this species have also been recorded in peninsular Italy, Campania and Southern Tuscany due to accidental introductions via touristic and commercial routes. In this work, we conducted genetic analyses on mitochondrial DNA COXI, cytb and 16S mtDNA genes on a sample of Italian insular and peninsular populations. Differently from what previously suggested, the nucleus in Portici (Southern Italy) may have originated from Sardinia. The intense trade and touristic traffic between Sardinia and Southern Tuscany may have been responsible for the introduction of this lizard also to Central Italy.
Aliens Coming by Ships: Distribution and Origins of the Ocellated Skink Populations in Peninsular Italy / Mori E.; Andreone F.; Viviano A.; Faraone F.P.; Di Nicola M.R.; Borri B.; Bruni G.; Mazza G.; Banchi R.; Zaccaroni M.; Mezzadri S.; Baratti M.. - In: ANIMALS. - ISSN 2076-2615. - ELETTRONICO. - 12:(2022), pp. 1709.0-1709.0. [10.3390/ani12131709]
Aliens Coming by Ships: Distribution and Origins of the Ocellated Skink Populations in Peninsular Italy
Viviano A.;Zaccaroni M.;
2022
Abstract
The ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus) is a widespread lizard, naturally distributed between the Maghreb and coastal Pakistan, with few insular populations in the Mediterranean coastal area. Some populations of this species have also been recorded in peninsular Italy, Campania and Southern Tuscany due to accidental introductions via touristic and commercial routes. In this work, we conducted genetic analyses on mitochondrial DNA COXI, cytb and 16S mtDNA genes on a sample of Italian insular and peninsular populations. Differently from what previously suggested, the nucleus in Portici (Southern Italy) may have originated from Sardinia. The intense trade and touristic traffic between Sardinia and Southern Tuscany may have been responsible for the introduction of this lizard also to Central Italy.
I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
