We traced the origins of an introduced population of spiny-tailed iguanas in the Tucson area...
The
Molecular Origins of spiny-tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura) on
the Grounds of the Arizona-Sonora
Desert Museum
Collaborators:
Objective:
 Spiny-tailed iguanas (genus Ctenosaura) are large, iguanid
lizards found throughout Central America, Mexico, and Baja California. Their origin as a "wild" population on the Desert
Museum grounds is quite
intriguing. In the mid-1970s, ASDM staff released at least one pair of
individuals on the grounds. It is unknown if other individuals were released or
escaped since then. Without management by ASDM staff, these individuals have
propagated freely and maintain a current population of 25-40 animals. The
current staff at the Desert
Museum, aware of the
potential dangers of invasive species, has been researching the introduced
population for the last 10 years. We
examined mtDNA from samples collected on the desert museum grounds and compared
sequences to those of wild-caught individuals throughout the species range in Mexico. Based
on our molecular evidence, the introduced population of spiny-tailed iguanas at
ASDM came from at least two, very different, maternal lineages. (i.e., at least
two females from different locations have been released on the grounds and have
successfully contributed their genes to the population). The majority of
individuals came from a maternal line (ie their mother, or mother's mother,
etc.) of Ctenosaura hemilopha macrolopha, native to Sonora, Mexico,
while two individuals carried a mitochondrial genome from Ctenosaura
conspicuosa that originated from San Esteban Island, in the Sea of Cortez.
[Grismer (2002) recognizes these as C. macrolopha, Mainland
Spiny-tailed Iguana, and C. conspicuosa, Isla San Estaban
Spiny-tailed Iguana].
Article published in the Sonoran Herpetologist: Ctenosaur.pdf
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Conservation Genetics 
