Reptile Rap Newsletter of the South Asian Reptile Network No.14 | June 2012 ISSN 2230-7079 Date of publication: 04 June 2012 Contents The conservation of Indian reptiles: an approach with molecular aspects -- V.M. Sathish Kumar, Pp. 2–8 Records of Indian Egg Eater Snake Elachistodon westermanni in the localities of Shegaon, District Buldhana, Maharashtra, India -- Abhishek Narayanan, Pp. 9–12 An observation on death of Python Python molurus feeding on a male Spotted Deer Cervus axis -- Mohnish Kapoor, Pp. 13–14 Herpetofauna of the Vidyanagari campus of the University of Mumbai, Maharashtra -- Madhav V. Upadhye, Vinayak V. Puranik, Prasad Dabholkar & Ujwala Jadhav, Pp. 15–20 Herpetofaunal diversity in and around the selected man-made wetlands of central and northern Gujarat, India -- Raju Vyas, B.M. Parasharya & J.J. Jani, Pp. 21–26 A Malabar Pit Viper, Trimeresurus malabaricus (Jerdon, 1854) morph from the southern Western Ghats -- Arun Kanagavel, Rajkumar Sekar, Nikhil Whitaker & Rajeev Raghavan, Pp. 27–28 Sightings of King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah in northern coastal Andhra Pradesh -- K.L.N. Murthy & K.V. Ramana Murthy, Pp. 29–32 First record of Slender Coral Snake Calliophis melanurus (Shaw, 1802) south of the Palghat Gap, Western Ghats -- G. Shine & P.O. Nameer, Pp. 33–35 UGC Sponsored Major Research Project on Herpetofauna, P. 36 www.zoosprint.org/Newsletters/ReptileRap.htm OPEN ACCESS | FREE DOWNLOAD 1 REPTILE RAP #14, June 2012 The conservation of Indian reptiles: an and conservation efforts. approach with molecular aspects In addition, the genetic information required for V.M. Sathish Kumar extensive systematic revisions for most genera is lacking. Southern Regional Centre, 130 Santhome High Road, Zoological Survey of India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600028, India The introduction of “New Email: [email protected] Systematics” by Huxley (1940) and Mayr (1942) made/helped zoologists Taxonomy and as alpha taxonomy with the realise the importance of other Conservation conventional outlook is yet to characters to supplement the India’s colossal biological absorb the modern molecular morphological characters for diversity can be credited to trends in systematics and precise identification. This the vast array of ecological conservation. A large number is very significant for the habitats ranging from tropical, of Institutions and Museums identification of unknown sub-tropical, temperate, in the country suffer from lack biological material when alpine to desert. According of funding resources to pursue using a combination of to the World Biodiversity various molecular researches evidences (morphology, Classification, India and many of the species behaviour, molecules, etc.) represents two biodiversity predicted to be taxonomically instead of relying on one- hotspots (Western Ghats enigmatic, or similar to known dimensional taxonomy (Bond and northeastern India) and species are still awaiting & Sierwald 2003; Seberg has the richest vertebrate formal detection using modern et al. 2003; Lee 2004; Will fauna in Asia. According techniques. The Zoological & Rubinoff 2004). Several to Ramakrishana & Alfred Survey of India, the premier recent studies have applied (2006), the reptile fauna of institution, has played an mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) India consists of about 460 important role in promoting markers in phylogeographic species; with 244 snakes, 178 animal systematics in the studies to geographically lizards, three crocodiles, and country. But the National widespread taxa to determine 35 turtles. Among these, 33 Zoological Collection housed at distinctive and unrecognized are considered threatened. the Zoological Survey of India evolutionary lineages (e.g., Das (2003) reported 506 which holds the largest reptile Avise et al. 1992; Zamudio et species within the political collections in the country al. 1997). Also, elucidation boundaries of the Republic of dates back to the early part of of phylogenetic relationships India. Aengals et al. (2011) the 19th century; has yet to be among closely-related taxa accounted 518 species of fully entered into electronic is critical to correctly infer reptiles which includes 3 databases. The Indian Wildlife a taxon (e.g. Arnold 1993; species of crocodiles, 34 Protection Act (1972) that Harvey et al. 1996; Roderick species of turtles and tortoises, legally denies permission to & Gillespie 1998). 202 species of lizards and 279 export any biological sample Taxonomic studies by species of snakes belonging materials outside India also means of molecular techniques to 28 families. Molur & hinders the research activities have contributed significantly Walker (1998) accounted of other developed countries to our perceptive of lineages about 95 endemic reptile on Indian reptile groups. contained by species or taxa in the Western Ghats Moreover, most species are species groups. They have of which 62 are reported known from very few localities endorsed for revisions of as vulnerable. However, and from few adults; a situation taxonomically difficult groups, the information on Indian that impedes both traditional often revealing unrecognized reptiles is still introductory taxonomic advancement taxa and smoothened the 2 REPTILE RAP #14, June 2012 progress of recognition of worked out for taxa occurring Painted Turtles Chrysemys isolated or distinctive lineages. in Europe and America than picta present an additional Molecular systematics the tropics. Therefore, some outstanding prospect to through PCR amplification and of the current names for explore the question of species sequencing makes the use of tropical taxa could be the first boundaries within a widespread various molecular techniques: approximation to a complex species complex. According such as allozyme, isozyme, biological reality. The to Bishop & Schmidt (1931), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to sampling of subspecies within the genus Chrysemys as provide information on the ge- a species does not promise currently recognized contains netics of wide-ranging species the sampling of significant a single extant species, or species groups in isolated variation. Phylogenetic C. picta. Four subspecies habitat. Therefore, molecular studies of congeneric species are generally recognized: techniques are crucial for should therefore be shared Chrysemys picta bellii, C.p. studies in phylogeography, with phylogeographic surveys dorsalis, C.p. marginata, and because it is “the field of study of haplotype dissimilarity, C.p. picta. Thus, decisions concerned with the principles so that the monophyly of regarding species and and processes of genealogical populations of a putative subspecies boundaries can, lineages, especially those species with respect to others and do have dramatic impacts within and among closely- can be tested. on species conservation and related species” as stated by As stated by Ball & Avise management (Shaffer et al. Avise (2000). Such studies (1992), the discussion about 2000). can be carried out with Indian the levels of intraspecific After almost three lizard families Gekkonidae or interspecific variation centuries of herpetological and Lacertidae as its exact necessary to distinguish work in India, a good number phylogeny has not fully been species and subspecies limits of research papers have been established yet. Also, with has received considerable published. Though, the main mtDNA sequence, data, we notice in the last several comprehensive works would can investigate the systematic decades. Several current indisputably have been by relationships within genera or studies that have discussed Malcolm A. Smith, and there species by using the rapidly the border line among inter is no wonder that it took more evolving control region of and intraspecific variation have than twelve years for him to the mitochondrial genome. utilised molecular information, produce these three separate Because it has proven reliable mostly to test existing volumes on Indian reptiles. in resolving intraspecific hypotheses of species-level Smith (1931) systematically variation in many vertebrates relationships and boundaries. placed the crocodiles and including turtles (Stewart & At the same time, a number turtles in Volume I, the lizards Baker 1994; Encalada et al. of formerly documented in Volume II (1935), and the 1996; Shaffer & McKnight subspecies genetically match snakes in Volume III (1943). 1996), accurately identifies though morphologically These precious classics closely related emydid turtle they overlap, implying that have long been regarded as species (Lamb et al. 1994). they probably should not be fundamental references in the Besides, animal genome data recognized at any taxonomic library of any herpetologist with potentially endless supply level. Parallel work on the interested in Indian regions. of evolutionary and systematic snake Pituophis melanoleucus Further contributions were information can obviously be points that the conventional made by Tiwari & Biswas used to infer species diagnosis, outlook suggested by Conant (1973), Sharma (1977, 1978, description and identification. (1956) for the single polytypic 1981, 1998, 2002, 2007), Consequently, the taxonomy species is conflicting with Murthy (1985, 1994, 2010), of most organisms is better the molecular evidence, and Das (1991, 1994, 1996, 1997 3 REPTILE RAP #14, June 2012 a&b, 2003), Tikedar & Sharma according to biological species very apparent as they are (1992), Das & Bauer (2000), concept, the whole group terrestrial. Forest species are Das & Sengupta (2000), is to be placed and