The British Herpetological Society

The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.

 ISSN 0268-0130

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pdf 06. Extending the phylogeography and conservation strategies in the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus using molecular data

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pp. 52-72

Authors: Luis Alejandro Arias-Sosa, Francisco Javier Ruiz-Gómez, Esteban Betancourt & Mario Vargas-Ramírez

Abstract: The South American rattlesnake corresponds to a species complex, and debates persist regarding its systematics and taxonomy. Similarly, the understanding of its phylogeography has been incomplete, due to a lack of information concerning north-western populations. This knowledge gap hinders the development of conservation strategies to address threats like habitat destruction and illegal trade. This research aimed to provide a genetic analysis of these north-western populations. Additionally, we aim to delineate conservation units and evaluate the utility of mitochondrial sequencing in tracing the origin of illegally traded individuals. We sequenced DNA from five loci in 25 snakes from north-west South America, and subsequently integrated these data with homologous sequences from previous studies. Phylogeographic analyses, coalescent simulations, approximate Bayesian computation and species delimitation algorithms, were used to examine the species’ phylogeography, systematics and delimited conservation units. Furthermore, we inferred the geographic origins of 16 confiscated rattlesnakes from Colombia by genotyping. We identified four major genetic groups within the South American rattlesnake, including a new group from the Colombian Orinoco Llanos. Our findings indicate the need for a taxonomic reevaluation, including the identification of two new candidate subspecies in Colombia. Our results suggest a rapid colonisation of South America, facilitated by climate fluctuations during the Pleistocene. This included the initial colonisation of arid Trans-Andean ecoregions currently isolated by natural barriers, followed by an invasion of the Cis-Andean ecosystem through low elevation passages and a final colonisation of the Amazon, most probably facilitated by changes in vegetation cover. To safeguard the genetic diversity of this species, we propose the establishment of 11 conservation units. Lastly, we demonstrate the efficacy of mitochondrial sequencing in tracing the origins of illegally traded individuals in Colombia.

Keywords: species complex, Neotropical rattlesnake, genetic structure, management units, illegal trade

Resumen: La serpiente de cascabel sudamericana corresponde a un complejo de especies, y persisten debates sobre su sistemática y taxonomía. Del mismo modo, la comprensión de su filogeografía ha sido incompleta debido a la falta de información sobre las poblaciones del noroeste. Esta laguna de conocimiento dificulta el desarrollo de estrategias de conservación para enfrentar amenazas como la destrucción del hábitat y el comercio ilegal. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo proporcionar un análisis genético de estas poblaciones del noroeste. Además, buscamos delinear unidades de conservación y evaluar la utilidad de la secuenciación mitocondrial para rastrear el origen de individuos comercializados ilegalmente. Secuenciamos ADN de cinco loci en 25 serpientes del noroeste de Sudamérica, e integramos estos datos con secuencias homólogas de estudios previos. Se utilizaron análisis filogeográficos, simulaciones coalescentes, computación bayesiana aproximada y algoritmos de delimitación de especies para examinar la filogeografía, sistemática y delimitación de unidades de conservación de la especie. Además, inferimos los orígenes geográficos de 16 serpientes de cascabel confiscadas en Colombia mediante genotipado. Identificamos cuatro grandes grupos genéticos dentro de la serpiente de cascabel sudamericana, incluido un nuevo grupo en los Llanos del Orinoco colombiano. Nuestros hallazgos indican la necesidad de una reevaluación taxonómica, incluyendo la identificación de dos nuevas subespecies candidatas en Colombia. Nuestros resultados sugieren una rápida colonización de Sudamérica, facilitada por las fluctuaciones climáticas durante el Pleistoceno. Esto incluyó la colonización inicial de ecorregiones áridas transandinas actualmente aisladas por barreras naturales, seguida por una invasión del ecosistema cisandino a través de pasos de baja elevación, y una colonización final de la Amazonia, probablemente facilitada por cambios en la cobertura vegetal. Para salvaguardar la diversidad genética de esta especie, proponemos el establecimiento de 11 unidades de conservación. Por último, demostramos la eficacia de la secuenciación mitocondrial para rastrear los orígenes de individuos comercializados ilegalmente en Colombia.

Palabras clave: complejo de especies, cascabel neotropical, estructura genética, unidades de manejo, comercio ilegal

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