Differentiated sex chromosomes, karyotype evolution, and spontaneous triploidy in carphodactylid geckos

Abstract

Abstract Geckos exhibit derived karyotypes without a clear distinction between macrochromosomes and microchromosomes and intriguing diversity in sex determination mechanisms. We conducted cytogenetic analyses in six species from the genera Nephrurus, Phyllurus, and Saltuarius of the gecko family Carphodactylidae. We confirmed the presence of a female heterogametic system with markedly differentiated and heteromorphic sex chromosomes in all examined species, typically with the W chromosome notably larger than the Z chromosome. One species, Nephrurus cinctus, possesses unusual multiple Z1Z1Z2Z2/Z1Z2W sex chromosomes. The morphology of the sex chromosomes, along with repetitive DNA content, suggests that the differentiation or emergence of sex chromosomes occurred independently in the genus Phyllurus. Furthermore, our study unveils a case of spontaneous triploidy in a fully grown individual of Saltuarius cornutus (3n = 57) and explores its implications for reproduction in carphodactylid geckos. We revealed that most carphodactylids retain the putative ancestral gekkotan karyotype of 2n = 38, characterized by predominantly acrocentric chromosomes that gradually decrease in size. If present, biarmed chromosomes emerge through pericentric inversions, maintaining the chromosome (and centromere) numbers. However, Phyllurus platurus is a notable exception, with a karyotype of 2n = 22 chromosomes. Its eight pairs of biarmed chromosomes were probably formed by Robertsonian fusions of acrocentric chromosomes. The family underscores a remarkable instance of evolutionary stability in chromosome numbers, followed by a profound transformation through parallel interchromosomal rearrangements. Our study highlights the need to continue generating cytogenetic data in order to test long-standing ideas about reproductive biology and the evolution of genome and sex determination.