Lycodon and Dinodon: one genus or two? Evidence from molecular phylogenetics and morphological comparisons

Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2013 Jul;68(1):144-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.008. Epub 2013 Mar 22.

Abstract

Based on a molecular phylogeny and a comparison of maxillary dentition and morphology, the relationship between the genera Lycodon and Dinodon was investigated. Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood analysis of two mitochondrial genes (cyt b and ND4) and two nuclear genes (c-mos and Rag1) suggested that the two genera shared a most recent common ancestor. However, Dinodon was paraphyletic and Lycodon was polyphyletic, each with respect to the other. The results from counts of maxillary teeth indicated that the diagnostic characters used by previous authors to separate Dinodon and Lycodon were not reliable. Taking the molecular and morphological evidence together, we synonymized Dinodon with Lycodon. In addition, the validity of the species L. futsingensis was confirmed to be distinctly different from the other species of Dinodon and Lycodon.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bayes Theorem
  • China
  • Colubridae / anatomy & histology
  • Colubridae / classification*
  • Colubridae / genetics
  • Cytochromes b / classification*
  • Cytochromes b / genetics
  • Dentition
  • Genetic Speciation
  • Homeodomain Proteins / classification*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
  • Likelihood Functions
  • NADH Dehydrogenase / classification*
  • NADH Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Phylogeography
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos / classification*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • RAG-1 protein
  • Cytochromes b
  • NADH Dehydrogenase
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos