Siegert Stephan, Fonseca Nogueira Joel, Jestrzemski Daniel, Reich Mike, Brenig Bertram
Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.
Universidade Federal do Vale do São-Francisco (Univasf), Petrolina, Brazil.
Mitochondrial DNA B Resour. 2025 Aug 23;10(9):852-857. doi: 10.1080/23802359.2025.2546948. eCollection 2025.
is the sole venomous snake species endemic to Cyprus, with its population declining due to habitat loss and persecution. The taxonomic status of this species remains uncertain, and there is a significant gap in available genetic information. Here, we present the first complete mitochondrial genome of , obtained from two specimens. The mitogenomes (17,151 bp and 17,152 bp) include the standard 37 genes-13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs-as well as two control regions. Comparative analysis reveals a conserved gene order typical for Viperidae but also an unprecedented structural modification: the complete loss of the D-arm in tRNA-Cys, a feature previously unreported in snakes. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the monophyly of and . These findings contribute essential genetic data for this under-documented species, providing valuable molecular markers for future phylogenetic and conservation studies.
是塞浦路斯特有的唯一有毒蛇种，其种群因栖息地丧失和迫害而减少。该物种的分类地位仍不确定，现有遗传信息存在显著差距。在此，我们展示了从两个标本中获得的首个完整线粒体基因组。线粒体基因组（17,151 bp和17,152 bp）包括标准的37个基因——13个蛋白质编码基因、22个tRNA和2个rRNA——以及两个控制区域。比较分析揭示了蝰蛇科典型的保守基因顺序，但也有一个前所未有的结构修饰：tRNA-Cys中D臂的完全缺失，这一特征此前在蛇类中未被报道。系统发育分析证实了其单系性。这些发现为这个记录不足的物种提供了重要的遗传数据，为未来的系统发育和保护研究提供了有价值的分子标记。
