Systematics of the family Lacertidae in Pakistan

Lacertid lizards (Squarnata: Lacertidae) are the most common reptiles which are widely distributed throughout most of Eurasia and all of Africa. Currently, the family encompasses more than 280 species. Lacertidae diversity is greatest in the Palaearctic region and twenty-eight species are endemic to subcontinent. In Pakistan family Lacertidae is represented by four genera with thirteen species. The genus Acanthodactylus consists of three species while Eremias includes six species. Mesalina and Ophisops each consists of two species. It is the least study family and its taxonomy and systematic is highly controversial. Early phylogenetic relationship was based only on morphology but the molecular approach has revealed some surprising relationships in European regions which are often incongruent with taxonomy based on morphological characters. Due to poor understanding of their genealogical relationships has made the overall phylogeny of the family one of the most controversial. This study evaluates an overall phylogeny of the family Lacertidae in Pakistan. A comprehensive field survey will be conducted in all its distribution ranges. “Pit-fall” traps and “Hand Picking” will be use for sample collection. Morphometric as well as molecular identification of each species will be carried out at Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) Islamabad and National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad respectively. For genomic analysis two mitochondrial (16S and cytb) and one nuclear genes (RAG-1) are selected for amplification. All the Sequences will be aligned using the ClustalX program package. Maximum parsimony (MP) tree construction will be done in PAUP* 4.0b10. The current study will provide morphological and molecular characterisation of family Lacertidae. Furthermore this will be the first report of phenotypic and genotypic trait of lacertids species from Pakistan. The findings will add value to the existing knowledge to the field of systematic.