Mitochondrial variation in sharp-tailed snakes (Contia tenuis): Evidence of a cryptic species

作者：Feldman CR^*; Spicer GS

来源：Journal of Herpetology, 2002, 36(4): 648-655.

DOI：10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0648:MVISTS]2.0.CO;2

We examined genetic variation and structure in mitochondrial DNA sequences of sharp-tailed snakes (Contia tenuis) from California and southern Oregon. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses distinguish two mitochondrial lineages: a north coast clade restricted to cool evergreen forest along the Pacific Coast; and an interior/south clade widespread throughout California. The southern limit of the north coast clade is congruent with that of several other vertebrate taxa, a historical pattern consistent with a long-term marine embayment. We interpret additional phylogeographic pattern as resulting from either gene flow or incomplete lineage sorting. Genetic, distributional, ecological, and morphological data suggest that north coast and interior/south mitochondrial lineages of C. tenuis are distinct at the species level.

• 出版日期2002-12