Molecular systematics of the genus Pseudocerastes (Ophidia: Viperidae) based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene

Abstract

The false horned vipers of the genus Psedocerastes consist of 3 species; all have been recorded in Iran. Tese include Pseudocerastes persicus, P. feldi, and P. urarachnoides. Morphologically, the taxonomic border between P. feldi and P. persicus is not as clear as that between P. urarachnoides and P. persicus or P. feldi. Regarding the weak diagnostic characters diferentiating P. feldi from P. persicus and very robust characters separating P. urarachnoides from both, there may arise some uncertainty in the exact taxonomic status of P. urarachnoides and whether it should remain at the current specifc level or be elevated to a distinct genus. Based on our sequence data from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, the taxonomic status of the 3 false horned vipers is confrmed. Although P. feldi has equal genetic distance from P. persicus and P. urarachnoides, the spider-tailed viper is more closely related to P. persicus than P. feldi. There are also some subdivisions among the populations of P. persicus in Iran. © TÜBİTAK.