http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6994-489X
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Abstract
Galápagos snakes are among the least studied terrestrial vertebrates of the Archipelago. Here, we provide a phylogenetic analysis and a time calibrated tree for the group, based on a sampling of the major populations known to occur in the Archipelago. Our study revealed the presence of two previously unknown species from Santiago and Rábida Islands, and one from Tortuga, Isabela, and Fernandina. We also recognize six additional species of Pseudalsophis in the Galápagos Archipelago (Pseudalsophis biserialis from San Cristobal, Floreana and adjacent islets; Pseudalsophis hoodensis from Española and adjacent islets; Pseudalsophis dorsalis from Santa Cruz, Baltra, Santa Fé, and adjacent islets; Pseudalsophis occidentalis from Fernandina, Isabela, and Tortuga; Pseudalsophis slevini from Pinzon, and Pseudalsophis steindachneri from Baltra, Santa Cruz and adjacent islets). Our time calibrated tree suggests that the genus Pseudalsophis colonized the Galápagos Archipelago through a single event of oceanic dispersion from the coast of South America that occurred at approximately between 6.9 Ma and 4.4 Ma, near the Miocene/Pliocene boundary.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2679FD19-01E5-48FE-A0DA-A88FF145DE56
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the following colleagues who kindly supplied tissue samples and/or allowed access to the specimens under their care: R. Drewes, J. Vindum, A. Leviton, R. Stoelting, J. Wilkinson, S. Blum (CAS), C. W. Myers, D. R. Frost, D. Kizirian (AMNH), K de Queiroz, R. McDiarmid, G. Zug (USNM), A. Dubois, A. Ohler, I. Ineich, R. Bour (MNHN), D. Gower, M. Wilkinson, P. Campbell (BMNH), H. Grillitsch (NMW). We are deeply indebted to D. Gower, H. Grillitsch, and M. G. Pires for kindly sending photographs of the type specimens of P. dorsalis and P. biserialis. We are grateful to M. Gardener, G. Jiménez (Charles Darwin Foundation), V. Carrión G., R. Molina Moreira, R. Valle, W. Tapia, V. Cedeño Escobar, R. Boada, and S. Villamar (Parque Nacional Galápagos) who provided support for field and laboratory research in the Galápagos, including permit authorizations. We are especially grateful to L. Lobo, S. Villamar and C. Marques who participated in the fieldwork, and to R. A. Thomas who helped with meristic counts of specimens housed at the California Academy of Sciences and kindly offered his notes on Galápagos species. We would like to extend our gratitude to the staff of the Colégio Humboldt, San Cristóbal Island, who allowed us to examine the scientific collection from their institution, and the crew of the boat Queen Mabel who conducted our expedition through the islands of the Archipelago.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Supplemental data
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2018.1478910