Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Iran

Geographical diversity appears in the phenotype of different populations of a given species and specific geographical factors are directly or indirectly involved in this variation. Due to their wide distribution range, snakes of the genus Platyceps Blyth, 1860 are wonderful case studies for morpholo...

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Main Authors: Seyed Hassan Moradi, ‪Eskandar Rastegar Pouyani‬, Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani, Jamil Zargan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad 2022-12-01
Series:Iranian Journal of Animal Biosystematics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ijab.um.ac.ir/article_43215_3679fc87678b8b944d25d37a2c2fc9bd.pdf
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author Seyed Hassan Moradi
‪Eskandar Rastegar Pouyani‬
Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani
Jamil Zargan
author_facet Seyed Hassan Moradi
‪Eskandar Rastegar Pouyani‬
Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani
Jamil Zargan
author_sort Seyed Hassan Moradi
collection DOAJ
description Geographical diversity appears in the phenotype of different populations of a given species and specific geographical factors are directly or indirectly involved in this variation. Due to their wide distribution range, snakes of the genus Platyceps Blyth, 1860 are wonderful case studies for morphological evaluation. In this study, 49 specimens of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex in four geographic areas from Iran were examined using morphological characters. The results of statistical analysis did not show any sexual demorphisem except in the character of Gular scales (P value = 0.038), but did show significant variation in the number of scales and in other morphological characters among populations in this group. Generally, four morphological clusters were distinguished with Sistan and Baluchestan Province being the most distinct from each other. Additionally, there was a visible slope of changes in some morphological characters associated with latitude, so that with increasing latitude, the body size of the specimens increases.
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spelling doaj.art-1cfa310b78464366ae2a26b3fac494c22024-01-20T05:29:03ZengFerdowsi University of MashhadIranian Journal of Animal Biosystematics1735-434X2423-42222022-12-0118217118410.22067/ijab.2022.76150.102843215Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in IranSeyed Hassan Moradi0‪Eskandar Rastegar Pouyani‬1Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani2Jamil Zargan3Department of biology, Faculty of science, Razi University, Kermanshah, IranDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, IranDepartment of Animal Science, School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, IranDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Imam Hossein University, Tehran, IranGeographical diversity appears in the phenotype of different populations of a given species and specific geographical factors are directly or indirectly involved in this variation. Due to their wide distribution range, snakes of the genus Platyceps Blyth, 1860 are wonderful case studies for morphological evaluation. In this study, 49 specimens of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex in four geographic areas from Iran were examined using morphological characters. The results of statistical analysis did not show any sexual demorphisem except in the character of Gular scales (P value = 0.038), but did show significant variation in the number of scales and in other morphological characters among populations in this group. Generally, four morphological clusters were distinguished with Sistan and Baluchestan Province being the most distinct from each other. Additionally, there was a visible slope of changes in some morphological characters associated with latitude, so that with increasing latitude, the body size of the specimens increases.https://ijab.um.ac.ir/article_43215_3679fc87678b8b944d25d37a2c2fc9bd.pdfplatyceps rhodorachisplatyceps ventromaculatuscolubridaemorphologyphenotypiciran
spellingShingle Seyed Hassan Moradi
‪Eskandar Rastegar Pouyani‬
Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani
Jamil Zargan
Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Iran
Iranian Journal of Animal Biosystematics
platyceps rhodorachis
platyceps ventromaculatus
colubridae
morphology
phenotypic
iran
title Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Iran
title_full Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Iran
title_fullStr Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Iran
title_full_unstemmed Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Iran
title_short Phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the Platyceps rhodorachis-ventromaculatus species complex (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Iran
title_sort phenotypic and geographic variation among populations of the platyceps rhodorachis ventromaculatus species complex ophidia colubridae in iran
topic platyceps rhodorachis
platyceps ventromaculatus
colubridae
morphology
phenotypic
iran
url https://ijab.um.ac.ir/article_43215_3679fc87678b8b944d25d37a2c2fc9bd.pdf
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