Disjunct Northern Populations as Reservoirs of Evolutionary Diversity: Insights from the Aesculapian Snake (Zamenis longissimus)

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985904%3A_____%2F25%3A00637571" target="_blank" >RIV/67985904:_____/25:00637571 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1894" target="_blank" >https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1894</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani15131894" target="_blank" >10.3390/ani15131894</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Disjunct Northern Populations as Reservoirs of Evolutionary Diversity: Insights from the Aesculapian Snake (Zamenis longissimus)

Original language description

Edge populations can harbor unique genetic diversity shaped by historical isolation and play a key role in species' resilience and range expansion under ongoing climate warming. The Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) reaches the northern limit of its range in Central Europe, where isolated populations may provide key insights into the species' evolutionary potential and conservation priorities. In Bohemia (the western Czech Republic), only one reproducing population, in the vicinity of Str & aacute& zcaron, nad Oh & rcaron& iacute (SO), had previously been confirmed north of the species' continuous distribution. Here, we report two additional reproducing populations recently discovered through long-term monitoring: one at the & Zcaron elinsk & yacute, meander (ZM) and another in Central Bohemia (CB). The ZM population is autochthonous, viable, and genetically remarkable, harboring two divergent mitochondrial haplotypes: the widespread Eastern phylogeographical clade haplotype E1 and a novel haplotype, W10, belonging to the Western clade. This represents the first confirmed record of a Western clade haplotype in the Czech Republic, and only the second known locality within the species' entire range where both clades coexist. In contrast, the CB population-founded by human-mediated translocation from SO-is expanding dynamically and is represented solely by E1, the only haplotype previously recorded in the country. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating genetic data into conservation planning and understanding species' evolutionary potential. The mitochondrial diversity uncovered at the ZM exemplifies how historical processes, isolation, and lineage mixing shape contemporary genetic structure. Preserving such populations, which retain unique evolutionary diversity, will be critical for maintaining the resilience of Z. longissimus in Central Europe. More broadly, disjunct northern populations may serve as reservoirs of genetic diversity, enhancing adaptive potential and supporting future range expansion under climate change. Recognizing and conserving this diversity is essential not only for local persistence but also for species-level resilience in a rapidly changing environment.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10613 - Zoology

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Animals

ISSN

2076-2615

e-ISSN

2076-2615

Volume of the periodical

15

Issue of the periodical within the volume

13

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

14

Pages from-to

1894

UT code for WoS article

001526219000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105010253675