Genomic Approaches and their usefulness in the Identification of Genes Involved in Local Adaptations in Ectotherms, with an Emphasis on Herpetofauna

Environmental heterogeneity is a determining factor in the evolution of the phenotypic plasticity of organisms. Strongly heterogeneous environments are ideal settings for investigating adaptation processes and mechanisms. There is an important body of evidence on the influence of the geographical variation in morphological, behavioral and life history traits for several taxa. However, few studies have examined the genetic basis of this variation, and even scarcer are those that have delved into the genetic expression patterns associated with adaptation. These studies mostly relate the existence of geographic variation to candidate genes for the directional selection. The aim of this work is to document the existing genomic approaches for the identification of genes associated with the local adaptation process in ectotherms, evidencing their potential use in the search for candidate genes in the study of adaptive mechanisms in herpetozoa.