Testing the species diversification hypothesis driven by sex chromosome acquisition in geckos

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06789
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45030:Biodiversity and systematics-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2023); Hiroshima Shudo University (2020-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Jono Teppei 京都大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (70711951)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 戸田 守 琉球大学, 熱帯生物圏研究センター, 准教授 (40378534)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 生殖隔離 / 求愛音 / 音声コミュニケーション / 種認識 / 性染色体 / ヤモリ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The evolutionary mechanism of reproductive isolation is an important research subject as it is considered the source of biodiversity. However, there is little field evidence of evolutionary changes in reproductive isolation mechanisms, and there is a huge gap between the theoretical studies that predict the widespread evolutionary change of reproductive isolation. Using Gekko japonicus species group, including both species with and without sex chromosomes, we tested the hypothesis that the acquisition of sex chromosomes drives speciation through reinforcement of reproductive isolation. In addition to developing genomic information for future analysis, we examined whether more significant reinforcement of sexual traits occurred in the species that acquired sex chromosomes in this species group, and discussed the role that the acquisition of sex chromosomes contributed to species diversification.

Free Research Field

動物行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの理論研究で、強化の実現には染色体上の連鎖が大きな役割を果たすことが示唆されてきた。その半面、ヒタキ科の鳥などを除いてそれを実証した研究はほとんどなく、強化に対する性染色体の貢献度は、進化生物学の大きな未解決課題の一つとなっている。グループ内に性染色体をもつ種ともたない種を含むヤモリ属は、性染色体の強化への関与の検証に適した研究対象である。本研究はこうしたこの種群の利点を活かし、強化と性染色体との関係について近縁の複数種を対象として調べた世界に先駆けた試みである。