Genetic variability of the tokay gecko based on microsatellite analysis

The black-spotted tokay gecko and red-spotted tokay gecko have different distribution areas and are significantly different in appearance but are classified into the same species Gekko gecko. Twelve microsatellite loci were isolated, characterized and evaluated from wild black-spotted tokay geckos for the first time. Of them, nine loci were successfully amplified in red-spotted tokay geckos using multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). A total of 208 different alleles were observed in the 70 wild black-spotted and red-spotted tokays, and the average number of alleles per locus was 17.3. The average values for observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity and polymorphism information content were 0.762, 0.891 and 0.871, respectively, which showed that the wild G. gecko population had a high level of genetic variability. Both black-spotted tokays and red-spotted tokays showed a significant (P < 0.001) deficit of heterozygotes. The red-spotted tokay (HE = 0.881, A = 16.4) had a higher level of genetic variability than black-spotted tokay (HE = 0.804, A = 10.7). The pairwise FST (P < 0.001) estimates of the two types of tokay were 0.143, which indicated that there was a significant level of genetic differentiation between the two.