Jablonski Daniel, Tzoras Elias
Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, Mlynská dolina, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia Comenius University in Bratislava Bratislava Slovakia.
Patras 264 42, Achaia, Greece Unaffiliated Patras Greece.
Zookeys. 2025 Jul 4;1244:29-40. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1244.152290. eCollection 2025.
Phenotypic variation, particularly in colouration, is well documented in snake populations across the Balkans, with insular populations often exhibiting distinct morphological traits. Historically, these differences have been used to define subspecies or even new species. However, many such classifications have been revised following genetic analysis. One unresolved taxonomic case involves the subspecies (Schneider, 1979), a melanistic taxon endemic to Kalymnos Island, Greece. In this study, we present the first genetic data (both mitochondrial and nuclear) for , comparing it with populations from the Balkan-Anatolian range to clarify its evolutionary status. Mitochondrial DNA analysis reveales that clusters closely with the Balkan and Anatolian populations, exhibiting low levels of genetic differentiation. However, nuclear markers reveal distinct allelic variations, suggesting a degree of evolutionary independence, likely influenced by the island's long-term specific environmental conditions. Our results support the continued recognition of as a distinct subspecies, though further studies using high-resolution genomic data are needed to better understand its evolutionary trajectory.
表型变异，尤其是在体色方面，在巴尔干半岛的蛇类种群中已有充分记载，岛屿种群通常表现出独特的形态特征。历史上，这些差异曾被用于定义亚种甚至新物种。然而，许多此类分类在经过遗传分析后已被修订。一个尚未解决的分类学案例涉及亚种（施耐德，1979年），这是一种黑色素型分类单元，原产于希腊的卡利姆诺斯岛。在本研究中，我们提供了该亚种的首个遗传数据（线粒体和核基因数据），并将其与巴尔干 - 安纳托利亚地区的种群进行比较，以阐明其进化地位。线粒体DNA分析表明，该亚种与巴尔干半岛和安纳托利亚地区的种群紧密聚类，显示出低水平的遗传分化。然而，核标记揭示了明显的等位基因变异，表明其具有一定程度的进化独立性，这可能受到该岛屿长期特定环境条件的影响。我们的结果支持将该亚种继续认定为一个独特的亚种，不过需要进一步使用高分辨率基因组数据进行研究，以更好地了解其进化轨迹。
