A Reevaluation of the Status of the FoxsnakesPantherophis gloydiConant andP. vulpinusBaird and Girard (Lepidosauria)

Brian I Crother,Matthew R Graham,Mary E White,Mallory E Eckstut,Jay M Savage,David W Gardner

doi:10.5402/2011/436049

Brian I Crother, Matthew R Graham + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.5402/2011/436049

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Abstract

As currently understood, there are two species of foxsnakes (Eastern Foxsnake,Pantherophis gloydiConant and Western Foxsnake,P. vulpinusBaird and Girard) that are separated by a large geographic disjunction that encompasses almost all of Michigan, eastern Indiana, and eastern Ohio. Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA data of individuals from throughout the ranges of the two species inferred reciprocally monophyletic clades that revealed a new species boundary, the Mississippi River. The single key morphological character also shows a major difference at the river. Because the localities of the holotypes ofP. gloydiandP. vulpinusare both within the new range of the eastern form,gloydiis recognized as a junior synonym ofvulpinusand a new name,P. ramspotti, is erected for the western form. The estimates of divergence time and historical biogeography suggest that Pleistocene glaciation and the Mississippi River played a key role in speciation.

Highlights

As currently understood, the Western Foxsnake, Pantherophis vulpinus Baird and Girard, inhabits a considerable portion of the Central Lowlands Province and much of the land surrounding the western Great Lakes within the continental United States [1, 2] including the upper peninsula of Michigan and west through most of Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, Iowa, southeastern South Dakota, and eastern Nebraska
This region was conserved between Pantherophis vulpinus and P. gloydi specimens and did not contain any phylogenetically informative characters that would otherwise influence relationships between the two species
The cytochrome b region of foxsnakes is similar in size (1116 bp) and structure to that of its relatives, P. obsoletus and P. guttatus [18] and other colubroid snake species [35]

Summary

Introduction

The Western Foxsnake, Pantherophis vulpinus Baird and Girard, inhabits a considerable portion of the Central Lowlands Province and much of the land surrounding the western Great Lakes within the continental United States [1, 2] including the upper peninsula of Michigan and west through most of Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, Iowa, southeastern South Dakota, and eastern Nebraska. The distribution surrounds most of Lake Erie and the eastern coast of Lake Huron and includes the southern Ontario peninsula extending west to eastern Michigan and south to north-central Ohio (Figure 1). This portion of the distribution was recently examined [3] with microsatellites and it was found that habitat degradation has played a large part in the genetic structure of these populations.

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