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Not withering on the evolutionary vine: systematic revision of the Brown Vine Snake (Reptilia: Squamata: Oxybelis) from its northern distribution

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Abstract

The genus Oxybelis currently is composed of four taxa despite numerous studies suggesting and describing multiple taxa within the O. aeneus complex. Here, we utilize a multilocus molecular dataset (i.e., cyt b, ND4, 12S, 16S, cmos, PRLR, 3663 bp) to conduct phylogenetic analyses to assess the evolutionary history of Oxybelis. Our molecular analyses find three major lineages of Oxybelis (i.e., O. aeneus complex, O. brevirostris, O. fulgidus complex) with a sister relationship between O. brevirostris and the O. aeneus complex to the exclusion of the O. fulgidus complex. More specifically, O. aeneus appears to harbor at least five taxa currently unrecognized while O. fulgidus was found to be paraphyletic with respect to O. wilsoni, suggesting cryptic diversity and novel taxa in that clade as well. Additionally, we use morphological data in concert with our molecular analyses and the literature to support removing Oxybelis microphthalmus Barbour and Amaral, 1926; Oxybelis potosiensis Taylor, 1941; and Dryophis vittatus Girard, 1854 from the synonymy of O. aeneus. Finally, we describe two new species from Central America and northern South America.

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Data availability

The molecular data generated during the current study are available in the GenBank repository [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/] while the morphological datasets are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the following individuals and institutions for allowing us to examine specimens and/or tissues under their care: T. Dowling and C. Johnson (ASU); E.J. Ely and L. Scheinberg (CAS); A. Resetar (FMNH); W.E. Duellman, L.J. Welton, and R.M. Brown (KU); R.R. Jackson, F.H. Sheldon, and D.L. Dittman (LSUMZ); J. Rosado, T. Takahashi, and J. Hanken (MCZ); O.A. Flores-Villela (MZFC); G. Bradley and P. Rienthal (UAZ); C.M. Sheehy III, D.C. Blackburn, M.A. Nickerson (UF), and G. Schneider (UMMZ); A. Wynn, S.W. Gotte, and K. de Queiroz (USNM); C.J. Franklin, G. Pandelis, and J.A. Campbell (UTA); and M.G. Rutherford (UWIMZ). Assistance with some specimen data was provided by R.K. Ludwig, A.Y.W. Liew, B.T. Tarchinski (UWEC) and M. Abbatacola (UWSP) and some molecular work by C. Cullum (UWSP). We thank the following people for providing us photographs in life: D.A. Briceño C., W.E. Duellman, C.J. Franklin, M. Patrikeev, L. Porras, J. Reyes-Velasco, L.A. Rodríguez J., and M.G. Rutherford. We thank Tom Anton (FMNH) for providing us with holotype photographs of O. potosiensis. We thank S. Lotzkat for reviewing and improving on an early draft of this manuscript. GR thanks J-.P. Rodríguez and A. Fernández del Valle from the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC) for inviting him on the project Evaluación ecológica rápida del bosque Chacaracual: restauración de un paisaje intervenido por la minería de arena, Margarita Island, in October 2013. A collection permit to Gilson Rivas was issued by the Ministerio del Poder Popular para Ecosocialismo y Aguas. JCM would like to thank R. August, A. Braswell, M. Dloogatch, G. Haast, S. Murphy, M. Rutherford, J. Traub, and D. Wasserman for assistance with field and lab work in Trinidad and Tobago. MJJ would like to thank Patrícia Ribeiro, Sofia Mourão, and Susana Lopes (CTM-CIBIO) for laboratory assistance. Trinidad and Tobago collection permits were issued to JCM by R. McFarlane and the Trinidad Wildlife Section of the Trinidad and Tobago Forestry Service and A. Ramsey of the Tobago House of Assembly.

Funding

This material is based on work supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant no. DEB-1929679 issued to C. Blair. MJJ was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, SFRH/BPD/109148/2015)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, 54702, USA

    Robert C. Jadin

  2. Department of Biology and Museum of Natural History, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, 54481, USA

    Robert C. Jadin & Sarah A. Orlofske

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, New York City College of Technology, The City University of New York, 285 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA

    Christopher Blair

  4. CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Christopher Blair

  5. CIBIO/InBIO (Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos), Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrario De Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal

    Michael J. Jowers

  6. Museo de Biología, Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

    Gilson A. Rivas

  7. Sam Noble Museum and Biology Department, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

    Laurie J. Vitt

  8. Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    Julie M. Ray

  9. Department of Biology and Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA

    Eric N. Smith

  10. Science and Education, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA

    John C. Murphy

  11. Present address: 2564 E. Murdoch Ct., Green Valley, AZ 85614, USA

    John C. Murphy

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  1. Robert C. Jadin
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Appendix 1. Specimens examined

Appendix 1. Specimens examined

Museum acronyms follow Sabaj (2019).

Oxybelis aeneus—(n = 8) Brazil: FMNH 64417 Amazonas; FMNH 19203 Pará; KU R-124605, 124606, 140173, MCZ R-2582, 2778, and 53211 Pará

Oxybelis brevirostris—(n = 2) Ecuador: UTA R-55952-53 Canton San Lorenzo: Parroquia Santa Rita, Esmeraldas

O. koehleri—(n = 34) Costa Rica: FMNH 179061 Cartago, Turrialba; El Salvador: FMNH 10997 Chalatenango; San Jose del Sacare, 3600′; FMNH 10998 Morazán, Divisadero; FMNH 64955, La Libertad, Volcan San Salvador, 1917 Lava, 500 m; FMNH 64956 La Paz, Los Blancos; KU 289907 Usulutan: Isla San Sebastian; Guatemala: FMNH 20088 Izabal: Bobos Plantation, near Playitas; FMNH 20171 and 20418 Sololá: Olas de Moca; UTA R-46795 Chiguimula; UTA R-45880 Huehuetenango; UTA R-22182–83, 33,040, 33,042, 37,256, 39,236, 42,433 Izabal; UTA R-37258 Peten; UTA R-46846 Zacapa, El Arenal; Honduras: FMNH 22231 Tela; FMNH 27050 San Pedro Sula; FMNH 34565, 34571, 34574, 34576, Bay Islands: Roatan, near Coxen Hole; UTA R-55231 Bay Islands: Roatan; FMNH 34770 Yoro, Portillo Grande; FMNH 40872 Gracias; UTA R-46865 Comayagua, Playitos: Aldea “Lo de Reina,” 785 m; UTA R-53176–78 Honduras: Gracias a Dios, Mocorón, 30–50 m. Nicaragua: UTA R-44838 Jinotega, El Paraíso Km 152.5, carretera Jinotega-Matagalpa, 1490 m

O. microphthalmus—(n = 36) USA: Arizona: UAZ 47314 2.8 mi west of Sycamore Canyon; UAZ 519,225 miles east Sycamore Canyon, Ruby Rd.; UAZ 39544 Patagonia Mts.; Santa Cruz County: ASU 33314, ASU 33364, ASU 35069, ASU 35563, UAZ 16787, UAZ 39545; no specific locality: UMMZ 75779. Mexico: Colima: UTA R-57658; Guerrero UAZ 106056, 106058, 38448, 38451, 38455, 38461, 38467, 106051, 106057, 106059, 106054; Oaxaca: UAZ 106055, 117841–43, 178707, 178708; Sonora: UAZ 26972 0.5 miles West Alamos; UAZ 28279 8.8 miles east Alamos; Alamos UAZ 16797, UAZ 26973, ASU 06735, ASU 68990, ASU 88990; 35 miles east of Cannansa junction w/ Aqua Prieta Rd. UAZ 16796

O. potosiensis—(n = 6) Mexico: UIMNH 25069 San Luis Potosí; UTA R-6107–10, 8752, and 12,368 S of Zapotitl, Puebla; UTA R-9014 6.0 mi E San Rafael, road to Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas

O. rutherfordi—(n = 20) Tobago: FMNH 251213 Bloody Bay Rd., between Roxborough and Bloody Bay; Trinidad: FMNH 49973 no specific locality; FMNH 49974–75 Brickfield; FMNH 49976 Mount Harris, FMNH 49977–85 San Rafael; FMNH 215838 circa 3 miles S Simla-Quarry Rd., on Arima-Blanchisseuse Rd., egg farm; FMNH 215839 circa 2 miles S Simla-Quarry Rd., on Arima-Blanchisseuse Rd.; UTA R-64851 Arima Valley, William Beebe Tropical Research Centre, c. 6 km N Arima, 247 m; Venezuela: FMNH 17839–40 Puerto Viejo, Península de Paria, Sucre; MBLUZ 1268 between San Francisco de Macanao and Cerro Los Cedros, Isla de Margarita, Nueva Esparta.

O. vittatus—(n = 16) Panama: FMNH 152067 Almirante; FMNH 83552, 130674, 131314 Canal Zone: Summit; FMNH 161478 Canal Zone: Barro Colorado Island; FMNH 153665 Coiba Island; FMNH 170132 San Blas Territory: Soskantupu, 8° 57′ N, 77° 44′ W, 1 m; FMNH 154043 Bocas del Toro, 11 km NW Almirante 600 ft.; FMNH 154478, 154517 no locality data; MCZ R-22274, 22231, and 25118 Canal Zone; UF 65037, 65038, and 170469 Canal Zone.

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Jadin, R.C., Blair, C., Orlofske, S.A. et al. Not withering on the evolutionary vine: systematic revision of the Brown Vine Snake (Reptilia: Squamata: Oxybelis) from its northern distribution. Org Divers Evol 20, 723–746 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-020-00461-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-020-00461-0

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