A review of the relationships of Xenochrophis cerasogaster Cantor, 1839 (Serpentes: Colubridae) to its congeners

We sampled snakes of the genus Xenochrophis from across Northeast India. The snakes were evaluated for both morphological and molecular parameters. Phylogenetic relationship was reconstructed using mitochondrial genes (Cytb, 12s rRNA, ND4). The genus Xenochrophis was found to be paraphyletic, X. pis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Zootaxa Vol. 4514; no. 1; p. 126
Main Authors:	Purkayastha, Jayaditya, Kalita, Jatin, Brahma, Rajeev Kungur, Doley, Robin, Das, Madhurima
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	New Zealand 05-11-2018
Subjects:	Animals Colubridae DNA, Mitochondrial India Phylogeny Pyridazines Sequence Analysis, DNA India Myriapoda, Xenochrophis, X. piscator, X. cerasogaster, Rhabdophis, Assam, India, morphology, phylogenetic relationship
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Summary:	We sampled snakes of the genus Xenochrophis from across Northeast India. The snakes were evaluated for both morphological and molecular parameters. Phylogenetic relationship was reconstructed using mitochondrial genes (Cytb, 12s rRNA, ND4). The genus Xenochrophis was found to be paraphyletic, X. piscator complex and X. punctulatus form a single clade with Atretium schistosum as their sister taxon. X. cerasogaster forms a distinct lineage. X. vittatus and X. trianguligerus are related to the genus Rhabdophis. Herein it is recommended that X. piscator complex, i.e. X. asperrimus, X. flavipunctatus, X. melanzostus, X. piscator, X. sanctijohannis, X. schnurrenbergeri and X. tytleri, as well as X. punctulatus be reallocated to the genus Fowlea.
ISSN:	1175-5334
DOI:	10.11646/zootaxa.4514.1.10