Uncovering cryptic diversity in Aspidomorphus (Serpentes: Elapidae): Evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear markers

    Authors

    G. A. Metzger; F. Kraus; A. Allison;C. L. Parkinson

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.

    Keywords

    New Guinea; mtDNA and nuDNA concordance; Cryptic species; Hydrophiinae; Demansia; Toxicocalamus; PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA; PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS; MORPHOLOGICAL EVOLUTION; MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY; FAMILY ELAPIDAE; SNAKES; GENUS; DNA; COMPLEX; DIVERGENCE; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Evolutionary Biology; Genetics &; Heredity

    Abstract

    The Papuan region, comprising New Guinea and nearby islands, has a complex geological history that has fostered high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Unfortunately, much of this diversity remains undocumented. We examine the evolutionary relationships of the venomous snake genus Aspidomorphus (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae), a Papuan endemic, and document extensive cryptic lineage diversification. Between Aspidomorphus species we find 22.2-27.9% corrected cyt-b sequence divergence. Within species we find 17.7-23.7% maximum sequence divergence. These high levels of genetic divergence may have complicated previous phytogenetic studies, which have had difficulty placing Aspidomorphus within the subfamily Hydrophiinae. Compared to previous studies, we increase sampling within Hydrophiinae to include all currently recognized species of Aspidomorphus and increase species representation for the genera Demansia and Toxicocalamus. We confirm monophyly of Aspidomorphus and resolve placement of the genus utilizing a set of seven molecular markers (12S, 16S, cyt-b, ND4, c-mos, MyHC-2, and RAG-1); we find strong support for a sister-group relationship between Aspidomorphus and a Demansia/foxicocalamus preussi clade. We also use one mitochondrial (cyt-b) and one nuclear marker (SPTBN1) to document deep genetic divergence within all currently recognized species of Aspidomorphus and discuss the Solomon Island Arc as a potential center of divergence in this species. Lastly, we find high levels of concordance between the mtDNA and nuDNA markers used for inter-species phylogenetic reconstruction. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution

    Volume

    54

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2010

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    405

    Last Page

    416

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000273758200009

    ISSN

    1055-7903

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