High genetic divergence but low morphological differences in a keelback snake
            <i>Rhabdophis subminiatus</i>
            (Reptilia, Colubridae)

Liu, Qin; Xie, Xinhong; Wu, Yayong; Shu, Guocheng; Guo, Keji; Guo, Peng; Cui, Liang-Wei

doi:10.1111/jzs.12484

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Species of the genus Rhabdophis are widely distributed across southern and eastern Asia, with an elevational range from sea level to more than 3000 m (Zhao, 2006 ). The existence of cryptic species of Rhabdophis has been suspected (Liu et al, 2021 ; Takeuchi et al, 2018 ), and several of those have recently been described (David & Vogel, 2021 ; Zhu et al, 2022 ). R. leonardi , as currently recognized, has a wide distribution in southwestern China and adjacent Myanmar.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within China, males of Rhabdophis leonardi most closely resemble R. helleri and R. siamensis in coloration. R. helleri was recently elevated from a subspecies of R. subminiatus to a full species by David and Vogel (2021), an action supported on molecular evidence by Liu et al (2021), and the species has a wide range across southern China. R. siamensis, also resurrected from the synonymy of R. subminatus by David and Vogel (2021) (David & Vogel, 2021;Zhao, 2006).…”

Section: Comparisonsmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China

Yang

Savitzky

Gower

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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The original description of Natrix leonardi (currently Rhabdophis leonardi ) by Frank Wall in 1923, based on a specimen from the “Upper Burma Hills,” lacked important morphological details that have complicated the assignment of recently collected material. Furthermore, although the holotype was never lost, its location has been misreported in one important taxonomic reference, leading to further confusion. We report the correct repository of the holotype (Natural History Museum, London), together with its current catalog number. We also describe key features of that specimen that were omitted from the original description, and provide new details on the morphology of the species, including sexual dichromatism unusual for the genus, based upon specimens from southern Sichuan, China. Rhabdophis leonardi is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 15 or 17 DSR at midbody and 6 supralabials; distinct annulus around the neck, broad and red in males, and narrow and orange with a black border in females; dorsal ground color light green or olive; some lateral and dorsal scales possessing black edges, the frequency of black edges gradually increasing from anterior to posterior, forming irregular and ill‐defined transverse black bands; eye with prominent green iris; black ventral spots with a red edge, most numerous at midbody but extending halfway down the length of the tail. In southwestern China, this species is frequently found at 1730–2230 m elevation. It has been documented to prey upon anuran amphibians, including toads. A recently published phylogenetic analysis showed this species to be deeply nested with the genus Rhabdophis , as a member of the R. nuchalis Group. That analysis also revealed the existence of two closely related but geographically distinct subclades in the molecular analysis, one of which may represent an unnamed taxon.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Comparisonsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China

Yang

Savitzky

Gower

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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“…As reptiles are highly sensitive to their environment (Xu et al 2021), geographical changes (e.g., river drainage) in the late Neogene may have contributed to the diversification of several turtle and crocodile species found in the north-eastern region of Thailand (Claude et al 2011). The speciation of the red-necked keelback snakes (Liu et al 2021;David and Vogel 2021) and the Asian pipe snakes (Amarashinghe et al 2015) may have been facilitated by geographical differences as a result of tectonic changes in this region. The presence of a hippopotamus-like mammal dated back to the late Miocene indicates a biogeography suitable for species evolution in this region (Hanta et al 2008).…”

Section: Divergence Of Naja Fuxi and Other Cobra Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

An expanded description, natural history, and genetic variation of the recently described cobra species Naja fuxi Shi et al., 2022

Ratnarathorn¹,

Nadolski²,

Sumontha³

et al. 2023

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The morphological variation, extended distribution, and sequence divergence of a recently described of cobra Naja fuxiShi et al., 2022 captured from mountainous areas in Thailand are evaluated by using molecular and morphological analyses. We investigated the genetic variation and affinities of 72 specimens in the genus Naja by using mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b and control region) and the nuclear DNA gene, C-mos. Morphological examination was conducted for 33 cobra specimens obtained from the northern, western, and north-eastern regions, and data on their natural history were gathered during field surveys. A high degree of genetic differentiation was shown to exist between the cobras collected from lowlands and those from mountainous areas. N. fuxi occurs in uplands bordering Thailand’s Central Basin, whereas the similar looking N. kaouthia Lesson, 1831 is more or less restricted to the lowlands. All phylogenetic and network analyses supported a distinct clade of N. fuxi from north, west, and, north-east regions. In addition, N. fuxi seems to exhibit a split between the north-eastern population and those from the north and west. The range of N. fuxi probably extends far into the mountainous areas of the neighbouring countries Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Morphologically, N. fuxi in Thailand can be distinguished from all other cobra species in the adjacent Oriental Region. The speciation of cobras in Thailand likely reflects key events in the region’s geographical, climate and environmental history.

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“…Vogel 2021; Liu et al 2021;Uetz et al 2021). These snakes reach lengths to 130 cm, feed almost entirely on toads and frogs, are active by day and night, can be both terrestrial and semi-arboreal, and inhabit the vicinity of ponds and streams in lowland and hill forests (Das 2008).…”

Section: O N S E R V At I O N a N D N At U R A L H I S T O R Ymentioning

confidence: 99%

Caudal pseudoautotomy in Heller’s Red-necked Keelbacks, Rhabdophis helleri (Schmidt 1925)

Dutta¹,

Mahanta²,

Pradhan³

et al. 2022

RandA

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R eptiles employ numerous antipredator strategies ranging from crypsis to aposematic coloration, from feigning death to biting, and the deliberate loss of the tail in response to an attack by a predator (Greene 1988). Tail loss occurs in defined regions of caudal vertebrae and can be intra-or intervertebral (Ananjeva and Orlov 1994). Further classifications (Arnold 1984;Slowinski and Savage 1995;Savage and Slowinski 1996;Bateman and Fleming 2009) include "autotomy" (intravertebral breakage along a pre-existing fracture plane that passes through a centrum and neural arch, spontaneous separation, and regeneration), intravertebral breakage along a fracture plane without regeneration, "pseudoautotomy" (intervertebral breakage between adjacent caudal vertebrae, non-spontaneous separation, no regeneration), and intervertebral breakage with some regeneration. Intravertebral breakage without regeneration, known to occur in some amphisbaenians, is considered an intermediate con-dition, whereas the intervertebral breakage with regeneration occurs in some agamid lizards (Arnold 1984). Only intervertebral breakage is known in snakes, but it can be either specialized for tail loss (tails are fragile, thickened, and extremely long) or unspecialized (Savage and Crother 1989;Savage and Slowinski 1996). Pseudoautotomy has been reported in species of the genera Scaphiodontophis, Pliocercus, Thamnophis,

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High genetic divergence but low morphological differences in a keelback snake Rhabdophis subminiatus (Reptilia, Colubridae)

Cited by 9 publications

References 38 publications

Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China

Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China

An expanded description, natural history, and genetic variation of the recently described cobra species Naja fuxi Shi et al., 2022

Caudal pseudoautotomy in Heller’s Red-necked Keelbacks, Rhabdophis helleri (Schmidt 1925)

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