Project 2189: Allison Y. Hsiang, Daniel J. Field, Timothy H. Webster, Adam D. B. Behlke, Matthew B. Davis, Rachel A. Racicot, Jacques A. Gauthier. 2015. The origin of snakes: revealing the ecology, behavior, and evolutionary history of early snakes using genomics, phenomics, and the fossil record. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 15 (87).
Specimen: Loxocemus bicolor (FMNH/104800)

Abstract

The highly derived morphology and astounding diversity of snakes has long inspired debate regarding the ecological and evolutionary origin of both the snake total-group (Pan-Serpentes) and crown snakes (Serpentes). Although speculation abounds on the ecology, behavior, and provenance of the earliest snakes, a rigorous, clade-wide analysis of snake origins has yet to be attempted, in part due to a dearth of adequate paleontological data on early stem snakes. Here, we present the first comprehensive analytical reconstruction of the ancestor of crown snakes and the ancestor of the snake total-group, as inferred using multiple methods of ancestral state reconstruction. We use a combined-data approach that includes new information from the fossil record on extinct crown snakes, new data on the anatomy of the stem snakes Najash rionegrina, Dinilysia patagonica, and Coniophis precedens, and a deeper understanding of the distribution of phenotypic apomorphies among the major clades of fossil and Recent snakes. Additionally, we infer time-calibrated phylogenies using both new ‘tip-dating’ and traditional node-based approaches, providing new insights on temporal patterns in the early evolutionary history of snakes.


Read the article »

Article DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0358-5

Project DOI: 10.7934/P2189, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P2189
This project containsMatrices
  • 2 Media
  • 1 Matrix
  • 74 Taxa
  • 2 Specimens
  • 777 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 42.13k

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 33788
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 777
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 1974
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:558/219
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 2189

    This research
    supported by

    Authors' Institutions

    • National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

    • Yale University



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
    media
    labels
    cell scorings
    (scored, NPA, "-")
    cell
    medialabels
    rules
    MorphoBank Curator
    Project Administrator
    74227770033788
    (33788, 0, 0)
    000
    Maureen Admin
    Full membership
    0000000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000
    Allison Hsiang
    Full membership
    0000000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M23369' (73 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
    support
    NPA
    cells
    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
    access
    [1] Shinisaurus crocodilurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    14763063000003
    [2] Xenosaurus platyceps
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    21756056000003
    [3] Xenosaurus grandis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    14963162800003
    [4] Pseudopus apodus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    18859158900003
    [5] † Peltosaurus granulosus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    30647247100003
    [6] † Helodermoides tuberculatus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    40737137000003
    [7] Celestus enneagrammus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    15662362100003
    [8] Elgaria multicarinata
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    13064964700003
    [9] † Proplatynotia longirostrata
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    49528228100003
    [10] † Gobiderma pulchrum
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    35542242200003
    [11] Heloderma horridum
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    16161661600003
    [12] Heloderma suspectum
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    16561661200003
    [13] Lanthanotus borneensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    16161661600003
    [14] † Saniwa
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    31845945900003
    [15] Varanus salvator
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    16461661300003
    [16] Varanus acanthurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    15762162000003
    [17] Varanus exanthematicus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    15862161900003
    [18] † Coniophis precedens
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    683949400003
    [19] † Najash rionegrina
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    60017717700003
    [20] † Dinilysia patagonica
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    36940840800003
    [21] Rena dulcis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    32545545200003
    [22] Typhlops jamaicensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    39638338100003
    [23] Liotyphlops albirostris
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    39638338100003
    [24] Typhlophis squamosus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    42235635500003
    [25] † Sanajeh indicus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    698797900003
    [26] † Wonambi naracoortensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    57620120100003
    [27] † Yurlunggur camfieldensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    54723023000003
    [28] Anilius scytale
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    26151851600003
    [29] Cylindrophis ruffus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    23754154000003
    [30] Anomochilus leonardi
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    31446346300003
    [31] Uropeltis melanogaster
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    32145745600003
    [32] † Haasiophis terrasanctus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    47830029900003
    [33] † Eupodophis descouensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    60817016900003
    [34] † Pachyrhachis problematicus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    55622222100003
    [35] Xenopeltis unicolor
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    26151751600003
    [36] Loxocemus bicolor
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    23254654500003
    [37] Casarea dussumieri
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    26651151100003
    [38] Xenophidion acanthognathus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    28948848800003
    [39] Exiliboa placata
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    29548448200003
    [40] Ungaliophis continentalis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    29348848400003
    [41] Lichanura trivirgata
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    27750250000003
    [42] Calabaria reinhardtii
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    26551251200003
    [43] Eryx colubrinus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    25852151900003
    [44] Epicrates striatus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    25552652200003
    [45] Boa constrictor
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    24953552800003
    [46] Aspidites melanocephalus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    26851350900003
    [47] Python molurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    24653653100003
    [48] Trachyboa boulengeri
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    27550350200003
    [49] Tropidophis haetianus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    24753453000003
    [50] † Kataria anisodonta
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/12/15
    59218518500003
    [51] Xenodermus javanicus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    27150850600003
    [52] Acrochordus granulatus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    29448448300003
    [53] Pareas hamptoni
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    30347547400003
    [54] Lycophidion capense
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    30247547500003
    [55] Aparallactus werneri
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    29048948700003
    [56] Atractaspis irregularis
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    35942041800003
    [57] Azemiops feae
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    31546446200003
    [58] Causus rhombeatus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    32945144800003
    [59] Daboia russelli
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    31646446100003
    [60] Bothrops asper
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    31346746400003
    [61] Agkistrodon contortrix
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    30347847400003
    [62] Lachesis muta
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    31446746300003
    [63] Micrurus fulvius
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    29948147800003
    [64] Naja naja
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    28549549200003
    [65] Laticauda colubrina
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    31146846600003
    [66] Notechis scutatus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    29848047900003
    [67] Natrix natrix
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    28249749500003
    [68] Thamnophis marcianus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    27750250000003
    [69] Amphiesma stolata
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    28049849700003
    [70] Afronatrix anoscopus
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    29947947800003
    [71] Xenochrophis piscator
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    28349549400003
    [72] Lampropeltis getula
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    27650550100003
    [73] Coluber constrictor
    Taxon name last Modified on 06/04/15
    26951250800003


    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project458
    Matrix downloads22The origin of snakes: revealing the ecology, behavior, and evolutionary history of early snakes using genomics, phenomics, and the fossil record (22 downloads);
    Project downloads436