Multilocus phylogeny reveals unexpected diversification patterns in Asian Wolf Snakes (genus Lycodon)

The diverse group of Asian Wolf Snakes of the genus Lycodon represents one of many poorly understood radiations of advanced snakes in the superfamily Colubroidea. Outside of three species having previously been represented in higher-level phylogenetic analyses, nothing is known of the relationships among species in this unique, moderately diverse, group. The genus occurs widely from central to southeast Asia, with a variety of range sizes from widespread forms to those that are endmic to small islands. One-third of the diversity is found in the Philippine archipelago. Both morphological similarity and highly variable diagnostic characters have contributed to confusion over species-level diversity. Additionally, the placement of the genus among genera in the subfamily Colubrinae remains uncertain, although previous studies have supported a close relationship with the genus Dinodon. In this study we provide the first estimate of phylogenetic relationships within the genus Lycodon using a ...隶属于链蛇属（Lycodon）的亚洲狼蛇类，是游蛇总科（Colubroidea）中诸多研究程度极低的高级蛇类辐射演化类群之一。此前仅有3个物种被纳入高级阶元系统发育分析，目前学界对该独特且中等多样的类群内各物种的系统发育关系仍缺乏认知。该属的分布范围广泛，从中亚延伸至东南亚，类群的分布尺度差异显著：既有广布性物种，也有仅局限于小型岛屿的特有物种。该类群约三分之一的物种多样性分布于菲律宾群岛。由于形态相似度极高，加之分类鉴定的诊断特征高度可变，长期以来该类群的物种多样性界定一直存在混淆。此外，尽管已有研究支持链蛇属与斜鳞蛇属（Dinodon）存在较近亲缘关系，但链蛇属在游蛇亚科（Colubrinae）各属中的系统发育位置仍未明确。本研究首次针对链蛇属内的系统发育关系展开估算，所用研究方法为……