Did Lizards Follow Unique Pathways in Sex Chromosome Evolution?

Shayer Mahmood Ibney Alam, Stephen D. Sarre, Dianne Gleeson, Arthur Georges, Tariq Ezaz

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)
83 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Reptiles show remarkable diversity in modes of reproduction and sex determination, including high variation in the morphology of sex chromosomes, ranging from homomorphic to highly heteromorphic. Additionally, the co-existence of genotypic sex determination (GSD) and temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) within and among sister clades makes this group an attractive model to study and understand the evolution of sex chromosomes. This is particularly so with Lizards (Order Squamata) which, among reptiles, show extraordinary morphological diversity. They also show no particular pattern of sex chromosome degeneration of the kind observed in mammals, birds and or even in snakes. We therefore speculate that sex determination sensu sex chromosome evolution is labile and rapid and largely follows independent trajectories within lizards. Here, we review the current knowledge on the evolution of sex chromosomes in lizards and discuss how sex chromosome evolution within that group differs from other amniote taxa, facilitating unique evolutionary pathways.
Original languageEnglish
Article number239
Pages (from-to)1-16
Number of pages16
JournalGenes
Volume9
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2018

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