Ventral coloration differentiation and mitochondrial sequences of the Chinese Cobra (Naja atra) in Taiwan
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Conservation Genetics
Publication Date
10-2008
Volume
9
Issue
5
First Page
1089
Last Page
1097
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Keywords
Cobra, Coloration, Conservation genetics, ESU, Mitochondrial, Naja atra
Abstract
Differences in coloration between eastern and western populations of the Chinese cobra (Naja atra) in Taiwan have been noted by snake collectors, snake keepers, and users of Chinese traditional medicine, but have never been verified by scientific research. In this study, we quantified the amount of black pigment on ventral scales, and found prominent differences in ventral coloration of populations across Taiwan; populations in eastern Taiwan have black ventral scales while populations in the west are predominantly white. Previous studies have shown a similar east-west population differentiation in regards to venom components. We supplement these data with mitochondrial control region sequences, which show extremely low nucleotide diversity. Black-ventral and white-ventral snakes share major haplotypes and show no genetic differentiation. Nevertheless, moderate Fst and low Nm values between populations indicate low levels of gene flow. With a morphological fixation earlier than mitochondrial sequences on a relatively short evolutionary time scale, ventral coloration is potentially a result of local adaptation. Based upon the results of this study, along with traditional observations, we strongly recommend treating each of the four populations of the Chinese cobra in Taiwan as distinct ESUs. Reintroducing confiscated snakes from the illegal trade back into the wild needs to be halted to prevent artifical gene flow.
DOI
10.1007/s10592-007-9418-8
Print ISSN
15660621
E-ISSN
15729737
Publisher Statement
Copyright © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Lin, H.-C., Li, S.-H., Fong, J. & Lin, S.-M. (2008). Ventral coloration differentiation and mitochondrial sequences of the Chinese Cobra (Naja atra) in Taiwan. Conservation Genetics, 9(2), 1089–1097. doi:10.1007/s10592-007-9418-8