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Evaluating taxonomic inflation: towards evidence-based species delimitation in Eurasian vipers (Serpentes: Viperinae)

  • Freitas, Inês 1CIBIO/InBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of the University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
  • Ursenbacher, Sylvain 3info fauna-karch, Centre de coordination pour la protection des amphibiens et des reptiles de Suisse, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
  • Mebert, Konrad 5IDECC, Institute of Development, Ecology, Conservation and Cooperation, Rome, Italy
  • Zinenko, Oleksandr 6Museum of Nature, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv national University, Kharkiv, Ukraine
  • Schweiger, Silke 7Herpetological Collection, Natural History Museum Vienna, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, Austria
  • Wüster, Wolfgang 8Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
  • Brito, José C. 1CIBIO/InBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of the University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
  • Crnobrnja-Isailović, Jelka 10Institute for Biological Research “S. Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Halpern, Bálint 11MME BirdLife Hungary, Budapest, Hungary
  • Fahd, Soumia 12Faculté des Sciences de Tétouan, Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan, Morocco
  • Santos, Xavier 1CIBIO/InBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of the University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
  • Pleguezuelos, Juan M. 13Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
  • Joger, Ulrich 14State Natural History Museum, Braunschweig, Germany
  • Orlov, Nikolay 15Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
  • Mizsei, Edvárd 17Department of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
  • Lourdais, Olivier 18Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, UMR 7372, Villiers en Bois, France
  • Zuffi, Marco A.L. 19University of Pisa – Museum Natural History, Calci (Pisa), Italy
  • Strugariu, Alexandru 20Research Department – Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Iaşi, Romania
  • Zamfirescu, Ştefan Remus 21Department of Biology – Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Iaşi, Romania
  • Martínez-Solano, Íñigo 22Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales – CSIC, Madrid, Spain
  • Velo-Antón, Guillermo 1CIBIO/InBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of the University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
  • Kaliontzopoulou, Antigoni 1CIBIO/InBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of the University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
  • Martínez-Freiría, Fernando 1CIBIO/InBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of the University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
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  • Amphibia-Reptilia. - Brill. - 2020, vol. 41, no. 3, p. 285-311
Animal Science and Zoology
English Abstract
The designation of taxonomic units has important implications for the understanding and conservation of biodiversity. Eurasian vipers are a monophyletic group of viperid snakes (Serpentes, Viperinae), currently comprising four genera (Daboia, Macrovipera, Montivipera and Vipera) and up to 40 species. Taxonomic units have been described using a wide variety of methods and criteria, and consequently, considerable controversy still surrounds the validity of some currently listed species. In order to promote a consensus- and evidence-based taxonomy of Eurasian vipers, we analysed published mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences for this group to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among currently recognized viper species. We also compiled information on external morphology to assess their morphological distinctiveness. Phylogenetic inference based on mtDNA sequences shows contrasting levels of divergence across genera and species and identifies several instances of non-monophyly in described species. Nuclear DNA sequences show extremely low levels of genetic variation, with a widespread pattern of allele sharing among distant species, and even among genera. Revision of morphological data shows that most species designations rely on scalation traits that overlap extensively among species of the same genus. Based on our combined assessment, we recognize 15 taxa as valid species, three taxa which likely represent species complexes, 17 taxa of doubtful validity as species, and five taxa for which species status is maintained but further research is highly recommended to assess taxonomic arrangements. We stress the need to implement integrative taxonomic approaches for the recognition of evidence-based taxonomic units in Eurasian vipers.
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  • English
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green
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https://sonar.ch/global/documents/238095
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