Molecular phylogeny of the tribe Philodryadini Cope, 1886 (Dipsadidae: Xenodontinae): Rediscovering the diversity of the South American Racers

Molecular phylogeny of the tribe Philodryadini Cope, 1886 (Dipsadidae: Xenodontinae): Rediscovering the diversity of the South American Racers

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Abstract South American racers of the tribe Philodryadini are a widespread and diverse group of Neotropical truvisionhealthftp.com snakes with a complex taxonomic and systematic history.Recent studies failed to present a robust phylogenetic hypothesis for the tribe, mainly due to incomplete taxon sampling.Here we provide the most extensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of Philodryadini available so far, including 20 species (83% of the known diversity) from which six were not sampled previously.Our results reveal that Philodryadini is not monophyletic, but instead includes a central Andean clade formed by Philodryas simonsii, P.tachymenoides, and P.

amaru, and a southern and cis-Andean clade including all remaining philodryadines.This discovery metabo 15-gauge finish nailer cordless requires resurrection of two genera as well as erection of a new tribe of Xenodontinae for the central Andean clade.Within the southern and cis-Andean radiation, our analyses resolve a basal dichotomy separating two main lineages: Clade A, containing the Common Green Racers P.laticeps and P.viridissima and the South American Vine snakes P.

georgeboulengeri and P.argentea; and Clade B, including the remaining species of Philodryas sensu stricto.We resurrect the genera Chlorosoma and Xenoxybelis to better represent the monophyly of lineages within the southern and cis-Andean clade.