Questions on Heteronotia binoei distribution

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ryanharvey1993

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hey I am just wondering, what is the distribution of the clones and the classic bynoes. I know the overall distibution but would like to know where they a seperated at and where they are joined in distibution. I heard that they are apparently several sub species found over there range but I dont know how true that is.

thanks, Ryan
 
if it is hard to understand what I asking as I dont really know how to word it:lol:, what I am asking is, which pops are parthenogenetic and which arnt and where are these different ones found.
 
There aren't any subspecies, at least none which have been described, but there are the parthenogenetic forms plus at least four different sexual species (plus H. spelea and H. planiceps, which aren't part of the group). The distributions overlap in many cases. The parthenogens are rarely if ever found alone, they live side by side with sexual species. The parthenogens probably can't survive in the wild without sexual species being with them because their DNA is fixed. They are genetically and reproductively 'better' than regular Bynoe's Geckoes, but because they have static DNA, parasites, viruses and other pathogens can target their specific genotypes and they have no way to update their genetic defense (in time this will cause them to become extinct in the wild, as happens with all parthenogens, but living side by side with sexual forms allows them to buy more time). The only way to identify parthenogens with certainty is to either do the DNA testing or to catch a female, let her have babies, raise the babies in isolation and if they're all female and produce babies as adults, they're parthenogens. The exact distributions are unknown. The only practical way to work it out is to collect DNA samples from the entire range and see what you get. With most species it's difficult enough to get exact distributions as you don't always find a species you're looking for, even if it does occur in an area, but with the Bynoe's Gecko complex, you don't just need to find one animal, you need to collect a whole heap of them and analyse the DNA (a lot more expensive and inconvenient than simply looking at the specimen, which is all you need to do with most species). Even then you might just happen to have collected only one of the species which is in the area. In short, it's a heck of a lot more difficult with these things than with regular species ;) The known distribution of the three main sexuals is something like... a sexual species with nothing to do with the parthenogens occurring in the east and south, the two sexuals which gave rise to the parthenogens being scattered over the rest of the continent and the parthenogens overlapping the sexuals' range in central and western Australia. They originated independantly in two areas - in central and western Australia, spreading out from there, and they appear to still be expanding their distribution to the east (but they will probably never get too close to the east coast and it will take thousands of years for them to move enough to really notice).

To make things simpler for you, there is only one species on the east coast of Australia, or within several hundred kms of it. Other species are known from western QLD and possibly far western/north western NSW.
 
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