Comparing morphology and cranial osteology in two divergent clades of dice snakes from continental Europe (Squamata: Natricidae: Natrix tessellata)

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14310%2F24%3A00137335" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14310/24:00137335 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://vertebrate-zoology.arphahub.com/article/123824/" target="_blank" >https://vertebrate-zoology.arphahub.com/article/123824/</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.74.e123824" target="_blank" >10.3897/vz.74.e123824</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Comparing morphology and cranial osteology in two divergent clades of dice snakes from continental Europe (Squamata: Natricidae: Natrix tessellata)

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

The Western Palearctic harbours a diverse snake fauna, including numerous endemic species and yet unnamed clades, identified through molecular analyses. However, morphological characteristics of these clades, even of common species, often remain relatively unexplored. In this study, we provide an examination of the morphology and cranial anatomy of the semi-aquatic snake species Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768), with a focus on populations of the so-called 'Europe' and 'Greece' clades. Utilising both museum collections and field data, we first morphologically examined 541 individuals of N. tessellata, , categorising them according to previously established clades and lineages that resulted in relatively low morphometric and meristic variation across the species' range. When assessing the 448 specimens from the 'Europe' and the 'Greece' clades separately, we similarly observed little variation in meristic characteristics. On the other hand, individuals of the 'Greece' clade displayed smaller and more slender body and head proportions compared to those of the 'Europe' clade and the pigmentation of the labial scales is distinctively paler in the 'Greece' clade, whereas the overall body colouration remains largely similar between the two. Our osteological analysis of 47 N. tessellata skulls also indicated slight differences in the frontoparietal portion of the braincase between the 'Europe' and the 'Greece' clades, warranting further examination with a larger dataset and extending to other skull components. These findings hold significance for ongoing enquiries into the species' biogeography, morphology and ecological adaptations. In summary, the integration of morphological and osteological data with genetic information offers a promising avenue for potential taxonomic revisions of N. tessellata in the future.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Comparing morphology and cranial osteology in two divergent clades of dice snakes from continental Europe (Squamata: Natricidae: Natrix tessellata)

Popis výsledku anglicky

The Western Palearctic harbours a diverse snake fauna, including numerous endemic species and yet unnamed clades, identified through molecular analyses. However, morphological characteristics of these clades, even of common species, often remain relatively unexplored. In this study, we provide an examination of the morphology and cranial anatomy of the semi-aquatic snake species Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768), with a focus on populations of the so-called 'Europe' and 'Greece' clades. Utilising both museum collections and field data, we first morphologically examined 541 individuals of N. tessellata, , categorising them according to previously established clades and lineages that resulted in relatively low morphometric and meristic variation across the species' range. When assessing the 448 specimens from the 'Europe' and the 'Greece' clades separately, we similarly observed little variation in meristic characteristics. On the other hand, individuals of the 'Greece' clade displayed smaller and more slender body and head proportions compared to those of the 'Europe' clade and the pigmentation of the labial scales is distinctively paler in the 'Greece' clade, whereas the overall body colouration remains largely similar between the two. Our osteological analysis of 47 N. tessellata skulls also indicated slight differences in the frontoparietal portion of the braincase between the 'Europe' and the 'Greece' clades, warranting further examination with a larger dataset and extending to other skull components. These findings hold significance for ongoing enquiries into the species' biogeography, morphology and ecological adaptations. In summary, the integration of morphological and osteological data with genetic information offers a promising avenue for potential taxonomic revisions of N. tessellata in the future.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10613 - Zoology

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Rok uplatnění

2024

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

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

Název periodika

Vertebrate Zoology

ISSN

1864-5755

e-ISSN

—

Svazek periodika

74

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

Sep 2024

Stát vydavatele periodika

DE - Spolková republika Německo

Počet stran výsledku

21

Strana od-do

511-531

Kód UT WoS článku

001320182100001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85203964011