Genetic relationships among species of the genus Bothrops based on RAPD markers

Abstract

The genetic relationships among 11 species of Bothrops found in Brazil were determined using random amplified fragment (RAPD) information. A total of 239 amplified bands were scored using 20 aleatory primers. Most of the bands (88.7%) were polymorphic. Phylogenetic analysis of the data determined three similarity groups within Bothrops: Group I- B. alternatus, B. neuwiedi, B. cotiara, and B. jararacusu; Group II- B. insularis, B. jararaca, and B. erythromelas; and Group III- B. moojeni, B. leucurus, and B. atrox. These groups coincided with those obtained by other methods, indicating that RAPD's could be a useful tool for the evaluation of genetic relationships at the interspecific level.