title: Phylogenetics of Kingsnakes, Lampropeltis getula Complex (Serpentes: Colubridae), in Eastern North America.
abstract: Kingsnakes of the Lampropeltis getula complex range throughout much of temperate and subtropical North America. Studies over the last century have used morphology and color pattern to describe numerous subspecies. More recently, DNA analyses have made invaluable contributions to our understanding of their evolution and taxonomy. We use genetic and ecological methods to test previous hypotheses of distinct evolutionary lineages by examining 66 total snakes and 1) analyzing phylogeographic structure using 2 mtDNA loci and 1 nuclear locus, 2) estimating divergence dates and historical demography among lineages in a Bayesian coalescent framework, and 3) applying ecological niche modeling (ENM). Our molecular data and ENMs illustrate that 3 previously recognized subspecies in the eastern United States comprise well-supported monophyletic lineages that diverged during the Pleistocene. The geographic boundaries of these 3 lineages correspond closely to known biogeographic barriers (Florida peninsula, Appalachian Mountains, and Apalachicola River) previously identified for other plants and animals, indicating shared geographic influences on evolutionary history. We conclude that genetic, ecological, and morphological data support recognition of these 3 lineages as distinct species (Lampropeltis floridana, Lampropeltis getula, and Lampropeltis meansi).
authors.affiliation: Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 1659 Museum Road, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Krysko
authors.affiliation: Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 1659 Museum Road, Gainesville, FL, USA.|School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Leroy P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Nuñez
authors.affiliation: Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.|Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA.
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D017812:Colubridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006239:Haplotypes; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009656:North America; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: biogeography; divergence dating; mtDNA; speciation