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Natural parthenogenesis in the gekkonid lizardLepidodactylus lugubris

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Conclusion

The original hypothesis thatLepidodactylus lugubris is parthenogenetic is strongly supported by the following data: disparate sex ratio (only 4 individuals with mae characteristics among a total of 673 examined), absence of courtship in reproductively mature females, and acceptance of skin homografts. The chromosome number ofL. lugubris is about 44, and very likely a diploid complement. It seems very unlikely that gynogenesis is the mode of parthenogenesis inL. lugubris owing to the absence of congeners and even species in closely related genera throughout much of its geographic range. The meiotic mechanism and the origin of the males is being further investigated by us.

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  1. Museum of Zoology and Department of Zoology, The University of Michigan, 48104, Ann Arbor, Michigan

    Orlando Cuellar & Arnold G. Kluge

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  1. Orlando Cuellar
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Cuellar, O., Kluge, A.G. Natural parthenogenesis in the gekkonid lizardLepidodactylus lugubris . J Genet 61, 14–26 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02984098

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