Phylogenetic relationships of <i>Podarcis siculus</i> (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810) and <i>Podarcis tauricus</i> (Pallas, 1814) in Turkey, based on mitochondrial DNA

The Italian wall lizard and the Balkan wall lizard have a series of taxonomic revisions. However, their phylogenetic relationships still remain uncertain in Turkey. In the present study, we have assessed taxonomic relationships, both of <i>Podarcis siculus and Podarcis tauricus</i> through estimation of phylogenetic relationships among 43 and 42 specimens, respectively, using mtDNA (16 S rRNA and cytb) from great main populations in Turkey. The genetic distances among the populations of <i>P. siculus</i> in Turkey were very low and they were ranged from 0.2 to 1.6% in 16 S rRNA while they were ranged from 0.0% to 3.3% in cytb. On the other hand, the p-distances among the populations of <i>P. tauricus</i> were ranged from 0.0 to 0.6% in 16 S rRNA while they were 0.2% cytb in Turkey. Finally, most of the topologically identical trees of phylogenetic analyses and p-distances showed that monophyly was found in extant populations of <i>P. siculus</i> and <i>P. tauricus</i>. The nominate subspecies, <i>P. s. siculus</i> and <i>P. t. tauricus</i> are representatives of these lizards in Turkey.