Topic
Brachyurophis
About: Brachyurophis is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3 publications have been published within this topic receiving 198 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: Toxicocalamus is expanded to include Apistocalamus and Ultrocalamus as subgenera and it is suggested that the solid maxillary teeth of Toxicocalamus are neomorphs, formed by backward extension of the fang-forming portion of the dental lamina.
Abstract: Toxicocalamus is expanded to include Apistocalamus and Ultrocalamus as subgenera. Pseudapistocalamus nymani, Apistocalamus pratti, A. loennbergi, and A. lamingtoni are considered geographic variations of Toxicocalamus (Apistocalamus) loriae. Toxicocalamus (Ultrocalamus) buergersi, synonymized with T. (U.) preussi by previous workers, is recognized as a distinct species because of many structural peculiarities (most notably, extension of the venom gland back within the body cavity nearly to the heart, as in Maticora). Three species are described as new: T. (Apistocalamus) spiblepidotus, characterized by large size and peculiar colouration; T. (A.) holopelturus, characterized by entire subcaudals and hemi-penial structure; and T. (Toxicocalamus) misimae, differing from the related T. longissimus in much lower ventral count and in having only 15 scale rows. A population from Garaina (Morobe Division) is believed to be of recent origin from hybridization between T. (A.) loriae and T. (T.) stanleyanus. Toxicocalamus is most closely related to the Australian genera called Brachyurophis, Melwardia, Narophis, Rhinelaps, and Rhynchoelaps by Worrell, but here all grouped in the genus Rhynchoelaps. This Australian genus and Toxicocalamus make up the Rhynchoelaps group, which does not include the genera Vermicella (for V. annulata only), Ogmodon, or Parapistocalamus. The lack of a diastema behind the fang in the elapid genera Kerilia, Ogmodon, and Toxicocalamus is not a primitive, but a specialized, feature, probably developed independently in each of these genera as a mechanism for coordinating the replacement rhythm of the fangs with that of solid teeth behind. It is suggested that the solid maxillary teeth of Toxicocalamus are neomorphs, formed by backward extension of the fang-forming portion of the dental lamina.
57 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that Simotes australis is not a species of that innocuous genus, but belongs to a widely different family of poisonous snakes and to the genus Brachyurophis.
Abstract: MY attention has just been drawn to a note by Mr. H. O. Forbes, published under the heading “The Genus Simotes of Snakes,” in NATURE, vol. xxviii. p. 539, in which he states that, when describing a new species of Simotes discovered by him in Timor-Laut (P.Z.S. 1883) and which I observed was the first of the genus known to occur eastward of Java, I overlooked Krefft's Simotes aastralis from Port Curtis, described in P.Z.S. 1864. It is a well known fact, pointed out by Dr. Gunther in 1865 (Zool. Rec. i.) and since admitted by Krefft himself (“The Snakes of Australia”), that Simotes australis is not a species of that innocuous genus, but belongs to a widely different family of poisonous snakes and to the genus Brachyurophis.
2 citations
TL;DR: Many of the retrieved groupings are consistent with previous molecular and morphological analyses, but the polyphyly of the viviparous and burrowing groups, and of Neelaps, are novel results.
Abstract: One of the most prolific radiations of venomous snakes, the AustraloMelanesian Hydrophiinae includes 100 species of Australasian terrestrial elapids plus all 60 species of viviparous sea snakes. Here, we estimate hydrophiine relationships based on a large data set comprising 5800 bp drawn from seven genes (mitochondrial: ND4, cytb, 12S, 16S; nuclear: rag1, cmos, myh). These data were analysed using parsimony, likelihood and Bayesian methods to better resolve hydrophiine phylogeny and provide a timescale for the terrestrial and marine radiations. Among oviparous forms, Cacophis, Furina and Demansia are basal to other Australian elapids (core oxyuranines). The Melanesian Toxicocalamus and Aspidomorphus group with Demansia, indicating multiple dispersal events between New Guinea and Australia. Oxyuranus and Pseudonaja form a robust clade. The small burrowing taxa form two separate clades, one consisting of Vermicella and Neelaps calanotus, and the other including Simoselaps, Brachyurophis and Neelaps bimaculatus. The viviparous terrestrial elapids form three separate groups: Acanthophis, the Rhinoplocephalus group and the Notechis–Hemiaspis group. True sea snakes (Hydrophiini) are robustly united with the Notechis–Hemiaspis group. Many of the retrieved groupings are consistent with previous molecular and morphological analyses, but the polyphyly of the viviparous and burrowing groups, and of Neelaps, are novel results. Bayesian relaxed clock analyses indicate very recent divergences: the 160 species of the core Australian radiation (including sea snakes) arose within the last 10 Myr, with most inter-generic splits dating to between 10 and 6 Ma. The Hydrophis sea snake lineage is an exceptionally rapid radiation, with > 40 species evolving within the last 5 Myr.
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 1969 | 1 |
| 1883 | 1 |