Molecular genetic characterization and phylogenetic placement of Teratoscincus rustamovi (Squamata, Sphaerodactylidae)

This study examines the molecular-genetic and phylogenetic status of Teratoscincus rustamovi , a gecko species endemic to the sandy deserts of southwestern Uzbekistan. Formerly considered a subspecies of T. scincus , it has recently been recognized as a distinct species, yet molecular evidence has been limited. We analyzed mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequences obtained from new samples and compared them with congeneric taxa using Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic reconstruction, pairwise genetic distances, and Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD). Results revealed that T. rustamovi forms a strongly supported monophyletic clade (100% bootstrap) and shows clear divergence (0.07–0.12) from T. keyserlingii , T. scincus , T. roborowskii , and T. przewalskii . Heatmap visualization and ABGD consistently confirmed its recognition as an independent molecular unit. Importantly, the sequence of T. rustamovi was submitted for the first time to international databases. These findings validate the taxonomic status of T. rustamovi as a separate evol u tionary lineage and highlight the role of mitochondrial markers in resolving reptile ph y logenetics. Given its restricted distribution and vulnerability to habitat change, the results also provide a molecular basis for conservation strategies in Central Asian desert ecosystems.

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