A numerical analysis of isoelectric focused keratin monomers: Affinities of some western indian ocean green geckos

This is a case study in the numerical analysis of intra- and interspecific differences in isoelectric focused proteins. The proteins are epidermal keratin monomers extracted and characterized by relatively novel porocedures. The numerical analysis of the biochemical data by principal component analysis indicates the relatives similarity of the populations whilst Wagner trees were computed to hypothesize their phylogeny. The character states of the tree nodes (‘ancestors’) are deduced and the phylgenetic tree is fitted directly onto the ordination diagram. In this way evolutionary divargence, convergence and extent of change can be readily visualize. Little convergence exists in this biochemical data set, there being close agreement between the phenetic and phylogenetic analyses. The existence of three species is indicated and this contradicts some facets of the conventional classification.