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| Bungarus fasciatus sensu stricto from Mizoram, India in Biakzuala, Lalremsanga, Santra, Dhara, ... et Malhotra, 2023. |
Abstract
The banded krait, Bungarus fasciatus is a widespread elapid snake, likely to comprise several distinct species in different geographic regions of Asia. Therefore, based on molecular phylogenetics and comparative morphology data, we present an overview of the systematic composition of the species to delimit potential biogeographic boundaries. Our phylogenetic analyses, based on four mitochondrial genes, reveal the existence of at least three evolutionary lineages within B. fasciatus, corresponding to Indo-Myanmar, Sundaic and eastern Asian lineages. We are convinced that there are at least three taxonomic entities within the nomen B. fasciatus and restrict the distribution of B. fasciatus sensu stricto to the Indo-Myanmar region. We also provide additional natural history data of the taxon from eastern India. Finally, we advocate further studies to establish the degree of reproductive isolation among these diverging evolutionary lineages and to reassess the systematic status of this species complex especially the Sundaic and eastern Asian lineages.
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| Map showing the distribution range of Bungarus fasciatus sensu lato, based on the latest species map provided by the World Health Organization (2022); the coloration corresponds to the three distinct evolutionary lineages recovered in the phylogenetic analyses. The type locality of Bungarus fasciatus sensu stricto is indicated by a black star. Localities of specimens used in the morphological analyses are indicated by black filled diamonds (WB), circles (MZ), and triangles (JV). Abbreviations for countries are: IN India, NP Nepal, BT Bhutan, BD Bangladesh, LK Sri Lanka, CN China, MM Myanmar, LA Laos, TH Thailand, VN Vietnam, KH Cambodia, MY Malaysia, BN Brunei Darussalam, ID Indonesia (KA Kalimantan, SM Sumatra, JW Java). |
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| Live individuals of Bungarus fasciatus sensu stricto (a) from Keitum village, Mizoram, India (MZMU1421), and (b) a juvenile with creamish dorsum coloration from Saikhawthlir village, Mizoram, India. |
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| Bungarus fasciatus from Hooghly, West Bengal. |
Lal Biakzuala, Hmar T. Lalremsanga, Vishal Santra, Arindam Dhara, Molla T. Ahmed, Ziniya B. Mallick, Sourish Kuttalam, A. A. Thasun Amarasinghe and Anita Malhotra. 2023. Molecular Phylogeny reveals Distinct Evolutionary Lineages of the Banded Krait, Bungarus fasciatus (Squamata, Elapidae) in Asia. Scientific Reports. 13: 2061. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28241-8
