SHEREMETYEVA I.N., POPOVA A.A., MASLOVA I.V., SHEREMETYEV I.S., NESTERENKO V.A.
Genetika 2026; 62(2): 69-80
The variability of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene for the mountain grass lizard, living in the Russian Far East, was analyzed for the first time. Higher haplotype (97.6%) and nucleotide (1.4%) diversity for the species were revealed compared to Takydromus amurensis. The data obtained indicate a loss of diversity in the past, because of habitat reduction to multiple refugia where five phylogenetic groups were formed. Refugia were located, probably, primarily on coasts of the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. One of them may have been located in the Prikhankaiskaya Lowland in Primorsky Krai. The territory of the southern Russian Far East was populated by Takydromus woltleri from two refugia.
