Evolutionary history and postglacial colonization of an Asian pit viper (Gloydius halys caucasicus) into Transcaucasia revealed by phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses.

ABSTRACT: It has been generally acknowledged that glacial climates at the time of the Pleistocene altered the patterns of species distributions, prompting latitudinal and altitudinal distribution shifts in several species, including poikilothermic species commonly known for their thermal sensitivity. However, the historical phylogeographic patterns of such species have remained largely unknown. Here, we present the historical biogeographic, phylogenetic, and phylogeographic relationships of the Caucasian pit viper, G. h. caucasicus, based on two mtDNA (cyt b and ND4) and one nDNA (c-mos) genes. This pit viper represents the westernmost member of the Crotalinae subfamily in the Palearctic and occurs in a variety of habitats, from 30 m to 3,000 m above sea level. In Iran, it is distributed on the nort

SUBMITTER: Asadi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6362119 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature