Molecular Systematics of the Genus Pseudocerastes (Ophidia: Viperidae) Based on the Mitochondrial Cytochrome B Gene
Turkish Journal of Zoology Turk J Zool (2014) 38: 575-581 http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/ © TÜBİTAK Research Article doi:10.3906/zoo-1308-25 Molecular systematics of the genus Pseudocerastes (Ophidia: Viperidae) based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene 1,2, 1,2 2,3 Behzad FATHINIA *, Nasrullah RASTEGAR-POUYANI , Eskandar RASTEGAR-POUYANI , 4 2,5,6 Fatemeh TOODEH-DEHGHAN , Mehdi RAJABIZADEH 1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran 2 Iranian Plateau Herpetology Research Group, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran 3 Department of Biology, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran 4 Department of Venomous Animals and Antivenin Production, Razi Vaccine & Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran 5 Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium 6 Department of Biodiversity, Institute of Science and High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran Received: 14.08.2013 Accepted: 21.02.2014 Published Online: 14.07.2014 Printed: 13.08.2014 Abstract: The false horned vipers of the genus Pseudocerastes consist of 3 species; all have been recorded in Iran. These include Pseudocerastes persicus, P. fieldi, and P. urarachnoides. Morphologically, the taxonomic border between P. fieldi and P. persicus is not as clear as that between P. urarachnoides and P. persicus or P. fieldi. Regarding the weak diagnostic characters differentiating P. fieldi from P. persicus and very robust characters separating P. urarachnoides from both, there may arise some uncertainty in the exact taxonomic status of P. urarachnoides and whether it should remain at the current specific level or be elevated to a distinct genus.
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