Molecular Systematics and Phylogeography of Hemidactylus Geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Manipur, the Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity Hotspot
Kiran Kumar Salam
Department of Zoology, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
Salam Bhopen Singh
School of Biological Sciences, Doon University, Uttarakhand, India.
Ramaiyer Varatharajan
Department of Zoology, Manipur University, Manipur, India.
Naorem Mohilal Meitei
*
Department of Zoology, Manipur University, Manipur, India.
Soma Mondal Ghorai
*
Department of Zoology, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: North-eastern India occupies a major biogeographic transition zone, yet the evolutionary relationships and spatial distribution of Hemidactylus geckos in Manipur remain insufficiently resolved.
Aims: The present study was undertaken to investigate the evolutionary history, molecular phylogenetic relationships, divergence patterns, and historical biogeography of the genus Hemidactylus (family Gekkonidae) in north-eastern India. The study also aimed to examine the influence of past geological barriers and environmental changes on species diversification using geographic information systems (GIS).
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Manipur, north-eastern India, from December 2021 to November 2025. Laboratory analyses were carried out at the Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, and the School of Life Sciences, Manipur University.
Methodology: Molecular phylogenetic analyses employing representative species of Hemidactylus were undertaken to estimate evolutionary relationships and divergence histories. Historical biogeographic reconstruction was performed to reveal ancestral distribution patterns. GIS-based spatial analyses were used to evaluate the roles of topographical features, river systems, and historical landscape changes in species radiation and distribution.
Results: Phylogenetic analysis revealed isolated evolutionary lineages of Hemidactylus in north-eastern India, indicating historical genetic isolation from peninsular Indian populations. Biogeographic reconstruction and GIS analysis suggested that geological barriers, shifting ecosystems, and the complex physiography of the Indo-Myanmar region had probably contributed to independent evolutionary radiation and diversification within the genus.
Conclusion: The results emphasize the evolutionary importance of north-eastern India as a center of diversification for Hemidactylus. Molecular phylogenetics, combined with historical biogeography and GIS, provides useful tools for understanding the processes underlying reptilian evolution in this biodiversity hotspot. The findings contribute to knowledge of the evolutionary history of Indian geckos and provide a scientific basis for future taxonomic, ecological, and conservation investigations in the region.
Keywords: Hemidactylus, molecular phylogenetics, phylogeography, cytochrome b, historical biogeography, geographic information systems, Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot, reptile diversity, conservation genetics