Allozyme Evidence for the Phylogeny of Giant New Caledonian Geckos (Squamata: Diplodactylidae: Rhacodactylus), with Comments on the Status of R. leachianus henkeli

Abstract

The phylogenetic analysis of allozyme characters within the New Caledonian giant geckos, genus Rhacodactylus, yields a pattern of relationships that is largely congruent with that derived from morphological data. A ‘total evidence’ approach, incorporating 13 allozyme and 29 morphological characters, yields a single most-parsimonious tree with the pattern: R. auriculatus ((R. leachainus (R. ciliatus, R. chahoua)) (R. sarasinorum, R. trachyrhynchus)). A phenetic analysis based on Nei’s genetic distance data results in a similar branching pattern. The genus Pseudothecadactylus is tentatively regarded as valid because allozyme data conflict strongly with morphological data that suggest that these geckos evolved from within Rhacodactylus. Allozymes and available morphological data do not support the recognition of the recently described subspecies R. leachianus henkeli.