DNA Studies On Natricine Snakes

[vetusvates]

I looked and did not see a perfect place for this thread, so here it is. With recent discussions I have read over the past couple of years regarding corn (and other) snake morphs, and the debates of the authenticity of their origiins,...I knew we had the technology, albeit cost prohibitive, for studying the DNA of snakes, and went looking for it.
As in early humanoid migration and settling (which I find fascinating), this article I found discusses the most recent post-iceage ice retreat, and the subsequent northern migration of the natricine genera of snakes (Nerodia--formerly Natrix, Thamnophis, Storeria, Seminatrix, Regina, etc., etc.), from the Mississippi-Ohio River valley areas northward to the great lakes region.

I'm posting this "not new" information for two reasons. First, for its academic merit, itself, that personally interests me as a zoologist,...and second, to stimulate thought and further reading on snakes' range maps, how they overlap and change over time, and the fine lines between species, subspecies, locality snakes, and regional variation due to geographical isolation. Mutation, Selection, Migration, Random Drift, and Nonrandom Mating,...are all factors in the divergence of species, and can be seen in the following articles to some greater or lesser degrees in the natricine group of snakes.

http://www.bios.niu.edu/rking/lab/natricine_snake_phylogeo.html

http://www.gartersnake.info/species/natricines.php

Wouldn't it be fascinating to find similar data, or even be involved in collecting it, on the Elaphe, Pantherophis, Pituophis group?
Thanks for taking the time to stop by.

 

[Tara80]

Very interesting Eric! You know, I've had long discussions with others about subjects like this specifically pertaining to (obviously) the family Colubridae. Migration, habitats, species isolation etc etc. Essentially, it's my thought/belief whatever you may call it that what we call a hybrid (when we cross breed corns to rats, milks, kings, etc) is not really a hybrid but all come from a common Elaphe ancestor (obviously, hence the name) with the different groups becoming independent & isolated but in reality are all essentially cousins. Which is why I tend to laugh at the term 'hybrid' and how people tend to overreact to such a subjective term.

 

[vetusvates]

Well, I've never been a big hybrid fan, regarding the corn snake industry. LOL, and with that said, only _after_ the fact of having developed quite an interest in the ultra gene...do I find out the background on ultra.

But on another note, about 20 years ago, when I was studying blood types, in depth, in order to work in a hospital lab and blood bank,...I started thinking about blood types and if that, or a similar, marker could be used to trace backwards human migration to a point in place and time.
Well, you know, there is NOW the technology (made popular/famous by Oprah and others) to test mitochondrial DNA to find the maternal branches of people's ethnic origins and locales. Unfortunately, the limitation is that it is a very narrow testable branch of one's family tree. You are finding the origin's merely of your mother's mother's mother's mother's mother, and so on.