Phylogeny of South American triad coral snakes (Elapidae : Micrurus) based on molecular characters

作者：da Silva N^*; Sites JC

来源：Herpetologica, 2001, 57(1): 1-22.

• Micrurus
• coral snakes
• phylogeny
• mitochondrial DNA
• allozymes
• South America

We present new molecular data (mtDNA sequences and allozymes) for several species of South American "triad" coral snakes. We present a phylogenetic hypothesis for the group based on analysis of molecular characters using both maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) optimality criteria. Results from both methods are generally congruent and suggest a basal position for the morphologically and ecologically unique Micrurus surinamensis. The M. frontalis complex is shown to be papraphyletic with respect to several other species in the parsimony and likelihood trees, but a topology constraining this group to monophyly cannot be statistically rejected compared to the best MP or ML trees. All analyses provide strong support for polyphyly of M. "lemniscatus", and in this case, the alternative monophyly topology is strongly rejected under both optimality criteria. These results underscore the need for a more detailed analysis of populations currently assigned to M. lemniscatus.

• 出版日期2001-3