Hidden species diversity of Australian burrowing snakes (Ramphotyphlops)

Abstract

The worm-like snakes (Scolecophidia; approximately 400 nominal extant species) have a conservative morphology and are among the most poorly-known terrestrial vertebrates. Although molecular evidence has helped determine their higher-level relationships, such data have rarely been used to discriminate among species. We generated a molecular data set for the continental Australian blindsnakes (genus Ramphotyphlops) to determine the concordance of molecular and morphological information in the taxonomic recognition of species. Our dataset included 741 specimens morphologically attributed to 27 nominal Ramphotyphlops species. We proposed species hypotheses (SHs) after analysis of sequences from a variable mitochondrial gene (cytochrome b) and examined these SHs with additional evidence from a nuclear gene (prolactin receptor) and geographical data. Although the nuclear marker was not as fast-evolving and discriminating as the mitochondrial marker, there was congruence among the mitochondrial, nuclear, and geographical data, suggesting that the actual number of species is at least two times the current number of recognized, nominal species. Several biogeographical barriers and complex phytogeographical and geological patterns appeared to be involved in the division of some burrowing snake populations and, by consequence, in their diversification and speciation through isolation.

A new species of Anilios (Scolecophidia: Typhlopidae) from Central Australia

“…The evidence for these proposals is very limited, largely providing a brief morphological statement for a diagnosis, or nomenclaturally recognizing branches on gene trees. I see little or no good reason for these taxonomic proposals to be accepted-they provide little or no useful phylogenetic information that is not already available in the more detailed studies by Marin et al (2013), Hedges et al (2014), and Pyron and Wallach (2014) (all of whom preferred to maintain a single genus) or are contradicted by these studies, and are themselves contradictory. For example, Wells and Wellington (1984) erected Libertadictus for a single species, bituberculatus, but in the following year, with no further discussion, expanded it to encompass 14 species, representing the Australian typhlopids with angulate snouts (Wells & Wellington 1985).…”

“…While some of these names may apply to definable lineages once appropriate analyses are undertaken, at the present time, they are of no value for classification, and the relationships amongst the species assigned to Anilios remain uncertain, with a variety of hypotheses of relationship proposed on morphological (McDowell 1974: Greer 1997 and genetic (Rabosky et al 2004;Vidal et al 2010;Marin et al 2013;Hedges et al 2014;Pyron & Wallach 2014) evidence, none based on complete or nearly complete sampling of the species in the genus. Further studies on the content and intrageneric relationships of Anilios are needed.…”

“…With few exceptions, knowledge of Australian typhlopid diversity since then has proceeded by the description of new species from small numbers of specimens, often only a single specimen (Kinghorn 1929(Kinghorn , 1942Loveridge 1945;Robb 1972;Storr 1981Storr , 1983Storr , 1984Shea & Horner 1997;Aplin 1998;Couper et al 1998;Venchi et al 2015). However, a recent genetic survey by Marin et al (2013) found evidence that even the more broadly distributed species described by Waite or earlier workers contain unresolved lineages likely to represent additional species, and hence that the diversity of the Australian typhlopid fauna is much greater than presently described. This paper continues the trend in recent typhlopid research by describing yet another species from a single specimen-a very distinctive new species from central Australia discovered misidentified in a museum collection.…”

Ants in Australia’s Monsoonal Tropics: CO1 Barcoding Reveals Extensive Unrecognised Diversity

“…For example, genetic analysis of reptiles, a rich and geographically structured AMT faunal group [14], has repeatedly demonstrated that snake [15], gecko [16][17][18] and skink [19,20] taxa previously considered to be widespread species actually represent diverse complexes of genetically and often also morphologically differentiated taxa, Diversity 2018, 10, 36; doi:10.3390/d10020036…”

A new species of death adder (Acanthophis: Serpentes: Elapidae) from north-western Australia

“…Snakes have received some attention in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and the Australian Monsoonal Tropics (e.g. Pseudechis: Kuch et al 2005; Demansia: Shea & Scanlon 2007; Anilios: Marin et al 2013), yet many genera have not been subject to extensive systematic revision recently.…”