Molecular Phylogenetics of the Possibly Extinct Martinique Ground Snake

Abstract

The Lesser Antilles is a biodiversity hot spot but unfortunately human disturbance has taken its toll, causing dramatic population declines and even extinction of numerous endemic species. Nevertheless, today the rediscovery of previously thought extinct species is not uncommon. Often, old museum specimens and their original descriptions are the only information available for such species. The application of molecular phylogenetic relationships to extant species can help to elucidate pivotal information on their ecology and conservation. Erythrolamprus cursor is possibly an extinct colubrid racer from Martinique, currently classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid sequences were obtained from four E. cursor specimens from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris) collections. All sequences recovered the same haplotype and the level of divergence between E. cursor and E. juliae, from the nearby island of Dominica, was lower than between other intraspecific distances within other Erythrolamprus. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses confirm that these two species are sister taxa and share most recent common ancestry. We discuss that published ecological data available for the sister species (E. juliae) may help to elucidate information on this species' natural history, ultimately having important implications for a future conservation management program if E. cursor is to be found. We emphasize the urgent need to conduct an exhaustive survey on the supposed last population of E. cursor at Diamond Rock to establish the survival of this species there, to understand how it may have adapted to such an ecosystem, especially in sympatry of several introduced rodent species.

Is Bocourt’s Terrific Skink Really So Terrific? Trophic Myth and Reality

“…Nevertheless, all attempts to amplify 12S rDNA from the holotype were unsuccessful because of contamination by human DNA. To overcome this problem, and the problem presented by the likely denaturation of DNA in the holotype, we used a previously designed short internal 12S rDNA forward primer to initiate amplification at universal markers: primer Lio12SF (5´- GTCGCCAGCTTACCTTGYAAAAGAA-3´ [37]) and universal 12SR (5´-GAGGGTGACGGGCGGTGTGT-3´ [36]). All PCR products were re-amplified because initial amplification was weak.…”

Molecular Phylogeny of Rediscovered Travancore Flying Squirrel (<I>Petinomys fuscocapillus</I>) and its Conservation Implications

“…Not much is known about the ecology of P. fuscocapillus; therefore, it is very difficult to develop an efficient conservation programme. Mitochondrial genes were extensively used for the molecular phylogenetics of rediscovered and possibly extinct species 19,20 . This study is the first earnest attempt to construct the phylogenetic relationship and level of genetic divergence of P. fuscocapillus with other flying squirrels from South and Southeast Asia (Table 1) and to know the utility of markers for identification of the species.…”

Sistemática do gênero Erythrolamprus Boie 1826 (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) utilizando dados morfológicos e moleculares

“…is strongly supported by molecular evidence, but no morphological synapomorphies are currently known for the genus (Zaher et al 2009, Vidal et al 2010, Grazziotin et al 2012, Jowers et al 2013, Pyron et al 2013a). …”

“…include morphological (MouraLeite 2001) or molecular data (Vidal et al 2000, Zaher et al 2009, Grazziotin et al 2012, Jowers et al 2013, Pyron et al 2015, but none have combined these two bulks of evidence. A combined analysis may well lead to more consistent results and reveal additional morphological synapomorphies.…”

“…in phylogenetic studies reached only around 30% of the species diversity of the group (Moura-Leite 2001, Grazziotin et al 2012, Jowers et al 2013, Pyron et al 2015, which seems scarce for such a highly diverse and complex group. Furthermore, none of the former studies focused on solving the systematics of Erythrolamprus s. lat.…”