Morphological, Ultrastructural and Molecular Studies on Some Reptilian Communities in North African Deserts

Abstract

In this study, four different reptilian species, which live in different habitats and have different habits. These are diurnal reptiles; diced water snake (Natrix tessellata) and European chameleon (Chameleo chameleon), nocturnal reptiles; elegant gecko (Stenodactylus stenodactylus) and reptiles with both diurnal and nocturnal activity desert sand snakes (Psammophis schokari), were analyzed by the taxonomic characters, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and SDS–PAGE for water soluble proteins analysis. The four reptilian specie were separated from each other into two main groups (clusters). The first cluster includes the populations of snakes Psammophis schokari and Natrix tessellata, were closer to each other, based on the taxonomic characters, were taxonomic similarity 0.77 (77%). Based on SDS–PAGE and RAPD-PCR results, were high genetic similarity (90%, 87%) among them. The second cluster includes populations of lizards Chameleo chameleon and Stenodactylus stenodactylus, were taxonomic similarity 0.54 (54%), based on the taxonomic characters, Based on SDS–PAGE and RAPD-PCR results, were high genetic similarity (73%, 86%) among them.