divided by a high mountain range in the middle and a
gene exchange between populations from the north
and south appears difficult and unlikely. Distinctive
local populations could develop through the huge
east-west expansion of the island alone. Some
animals from the smaller islands of Torres Strait
have also been found to be particularly green in
colour, and it is not clear it these specimens
represent true V. prasinus or a separate subspecies
or even species.
Acknowledgements.
We would like to thank Markus Baur (Munich) for
taking the blood samples of the confiscated animals,
together with Andre Koch (Bonn) and Johannes
Köhler (Frankfurt) for doing the DNA sequencing and
collecting the data.
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Below: some specimens of V. prasinus from the smaller
islands of Torres Strait are particularly green in colour.