[Genetic structure and origin of the tetraploid toad Bufo danatensis Pisanetz, 1978 (Amphibia, Bufonidae) of Central Asia. Differentiation of geographic forms and genetic relationship between diploid and tetraploid species].

A hierarchical system, consisting of several levels of genetic divergence, is formed by distribution of genetic distances between diploid taxa of the green toad species complex (subspecies Bufo viridis viridis--B. v. turanensis and species B. viridis--B. sp.) and taxa representing western (B. viridis s.l.) and eastern (B. raddei) Pale-arctic regions. Formally, genetic differentiation of the tetraploid toad B. danatensis from the parapatric diploid species reaches the species level. Genetic diversity of the tetraploid species is more than twofold higher than the total diversity of two modern diploid species. This suggests that B. danatensis was formed with the participation of other unknown species in the past. The polyploid species B. danatensis is assumed to have originated by hybridization of two species groups that arose approximately 2.6 million years ago in Mediterranean and Central Asian regions of the western Palearctic. The genetic heterogeneity of geographical populations of the polyploid species indicates its polyphiletic origin. The heterogeneity range suggests that formation of the tetraploid species continued for a very long period (about 1 million years).