The complete mitochondrial cytb gene and the partial nuclear c-mos gene of Oligodon ningshaanensis Yuan, 1983 were sequenced and used for reconstructing the phylogenetic relationship of this taxon amongst alethinophid...The complete mitochondrial cytb gene and the partial nuclear c-mos gene of Oligodon ningshaanensis Yuan, 1983 were sequenced and used for reconstructing the phylogenetic relationship of this taxon amongst alethinophidian snakes. Its strong affinity to the New World subfamily Dipsadinae and the Old World species Thermophis baileyi was inferred. Hemipenial morphology found by authors conflicts with the original description and its similarity with those of the dipsadid snakes is in accordance with our molecular results. Feeding tests show that O. ningshaanensis is a malacophagous predator, which is another matchless character for this species. This behavior is described and compared with other known slug- and snail-feeding snakes. The discovery of the particular position of our subject indicates that erecting a new genus is necessary accommodate this unique species.展开更多
The South and Southeast Asian snake genus Oligodon, known for its egg-eating feeding behavior, has been a taxonomically and systematically challenging group. This work provides the first phylogenetic hypothesis for th...The South and Southeast Asian snake genus Oligodon, known for its egg-eating feeding behavior, has been a taxonomically and systematically challenging group. This work provides the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus. We use approximately 1900 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA sequence data to infer the relationships of these snakes, and we examine congruence between the phylogeny and hemipenial characters. A hypothesis for the position of Oligodon within the Colubridae is also proposed. We discuss the implications of the phylogeny for previous taxonomic groupings, and consider the usefulness of the trees in analysis of behavior and biogeography of this genus.展开更多
文摘The complete mitochondrial cytb gene and the partial nuclear c-mos gene of Oligodon ningshaanensis Yuan, 1983 were sequenced and used for reconstructing the phylogenetic relationship of this taxon amongst alethinophidian snakes. Its strong affinity to the New World subfamily Dipsadinae and the Old World species Thermophis baileyi was inferred. Hemipenial morphology found by authors conflicts with the original description and its similarity with those of the dipsadid snakes is in accordance with our molecular results. Feeding tests show that O. ningshaanensis is a malacophagous predator, which is another matchless character for this species. This behavior is described and compared with other known slug- and snail-feeding snakes. The discovery of the particular position of our subject indicates that erecting a new genus is necessary accommodate this unique species.
基金supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Canada) Discovery Grant A3148 to RWMsupported by NSERC, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) Foundationthe ROM Members Volunteer Committee
文摘The South and Southeast Asian snake genus Oligodon, known for its egg-eating feeding behavior, has been a taxonomically and systematically challenging group. This work provides the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus. We use approximately 1900 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA sequence data to infer the relationships of these snakes, and we examine congruence between the phylogeny and hemipenial characters. A hypothesis for the position of Oligodon within the Colubridae is also proposed. We discuss the implications of the phylogeny for previous taxonomic groupings, and consider the usefulness of the trees in analysis of behavior and biogeography of this genus.
