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Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of Snakes

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Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of Snakes University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses Summer 8-10-2016 Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of Snakes Alex Figueroa University of New Orleans, New Orleans, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Evolution Commons, and the Integrative Biology Commons Recommended Citation Figueroa, Alex, "Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of Snakes" (2016). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2222. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2222 This Dissertation-Restricted is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation-Restricted in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Dissertation-Restricted has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of Snakes A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Conservation Biology by Alex Figueroa B.S. Rutgers University, 2001 M.S. Loma Linda University, 2006 August, 2016 Dedicated to my family and friends ii Table of Contents List of Figures ........................................................................................................................Page v List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... Page vi Abstract ............................................................................................................................... Page vii Chapter 1: A Species-level Phylogeny of Extant Snakes with Description of a New Colubrid Subfamily and Genus .............................................................................................................Page 1 Abstract ................................................................................................................................Page 1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................Page 3 Methods................................................................................................................................Page 8 Results and Discussion ...................................................................................................... Page 13 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ Page 41 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ Page 43 References .......................................................................................................................... Page 44 Supporting Information ...................................................................................................... Page 59 Chapter 2: Patterns of Lineage Diversification in Snakes: Testing Venom-Delivery as a Key Innovation ............................................................................................................................ Page 61 Abstract .............................................................................................................................. Page 61 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ Page 63 Methods.............................................................................................................................. Page 66 Results ................................................................................................................................ Page 72 Discussion .......................................................................................................................... Page 80 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ Page 88 References .......................................................................................................................... Page 89 Supporting Information .................................................................................................... Page 101 Chapter 3: The Evolution of Habitat Use in Snakes: A Specialized Body Shape Suitable for Diverse Habitat Associations ............................................................................................. Page 102 Abstract ............................................................................................................................ Page 102 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... Page 104 Methods............................................................................................................................ Page 107 Results .............................................................................................................................. Page 113 Discussion ........................................................................................................................ Page 126 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... Page 133 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... Page 134 References ........................................................................................................................ Page 136 Supporting Information .................................................................................................... Page 142 Chapter 4: Striking from a Limb: Context, Morphology, and Strike Performance in a Prehensile- tailed Arboreal Snake, Corallus hortulanus ...................................................................... Page 143 Abstract ............................................................................................................................ Page 143 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... Page 145 Methods............................................................................................................................ Page 148 Results .............................................................................................................................. Page 153 Discussion ........................................................................................................................ Page 155 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... Page 162 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... Page 163 References ........................................................................................................................ Page 164 iii Vita ..................................................................................................................................... Page 171 iv List of Figures Figure 1.1 ............................................................................................................................. Page 14 Figure 1.2 ............................................................................................................................. Page 23 Figure 2.1 ............................................................................................................................. Page 74 Figure 2.2 ............................................................................................................................. Page 76 Figure 2.3 ............................................................................................................................. Page 78 Figure 2.4 ............................................................................................................................. Page 79 Figure 2.5 ............................................................................................................................. Page 83 Figure 2.6 ............................................................................................................................. Page 84 Figure 2.7 ............................................................................................................................. Page 85 Figure 3.1 ........................................................................................................................... Page 119 Figure 3.2 ........................................................................................................................... Page 120 Figure 3.3 ........................................................................................................................... Page 121 Figure 3.4 ..........................................................................................................................
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