Project 961: J. C. Olori, C. J. Bell. 2012. Comparative Skull Morphology of Uropeltid Snakes (Alethinophidia: Uropeltidae) with Special Reference to Disarticulated Elements and Variation. PLOS ONE. 7 (3):e32450.
Abstract
Uropeltids form a diverse clade of highly derived, fossorial snakes that, because of their phylogenetic position among other alethinophidian lineages, may play a key role in understanding the early evolution of cranial morphology in snakes. We include detailed osteological descriptions of crania and mandibles for eight uropeltid species from three nominal genera (Uropeltis, Rhinophis, and Brachyophidium) and emphasize disarticulated elements and the impact of intraspecific variation on previously proposed morphological characters used for phylogenetic analysis. Preliminary analysis of phylogenetic relationships strongly supports a clade composed exclusively of species of Plectrurus, Uropeltis, and Rhinophis. However, monophyly of each of those genera and Melanophidium is not upheld. There is moderate support that Sri Lankan species (e.g., Rhinophis and Uropeltis melanogaster) are monophyletic with respect to Indian uropeltids. Previously proposed characters that are phylogenetically informative include the shape of the nasals, length of the occipital condyle, level of development of the posteroventral process of the dentary, and participation of the parietal in the optic foramen. Additionally, thirty new features that may be systematically informative are identified and described, but were not verified for their utility. Such verification must await availability of additional disarticulated cranial material from a larger sample of taxa. All characters require further testing through increased focus on sources and patterns of intraspecific variation, inclusion of broader taxonomic samples in comparative studies, and exploration of skeletal development, sexual dimorphism, and biogeographic patterns. Additionally, trends in the relative enlargement of the sensory capsules, reduction in cranial ossification and dentition, fusion of elements, and the appearance of novel morphological conditions, such as the structure and location of the suspensorium, may be related to fossoriality and miniaturization in some uropeltid taxa, and may complicate analysis of relationships within Uropeltidae and among alethinophidian snakes.Read the article »
Article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032450
Project DOI: 10.7934/P961, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P961
This project contains | Matrices |
---|---|
Download Project SDD File | Total scored cells: 780 Total media associated with cells: 0 Total labels associated with cell media: 0 |
Characters | |
Total characters: 33 Total characters with associated media: 0 Total characters with media with labels: 0 Total character states: 73 Total character states with associated media: 0 Total character states with media with labels:0 Total unordered/ordered characters:33/0 |
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 961
MorphoBank Project 961
- Creation Date:
29 May 2013 - Publication Date:
18 July 2013 - Project views: 48388
- Media downloads: 3
- Matrix downloads: 11
This research
supported by
Authors' Institutions
- University of Texas at Austin
Members
member name | taxa | specimens | media | media notes | chars | character
| cell scorings (scored, NPA, "-") | cell
| rules | ||||||||||||||
MorphoBank Curator Project Administrator | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 780 (780, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
Maureen Admin Full membership | 15 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
Jennifer Olori Full membership | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M2146' (24 Taxa)
taxon | unscored cells |
scored cells |
no cell support |
NPA cells |
"-" cells | cell images | labels on cell images |
member access |
[1] Anilius Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[2] Cylindrophis Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 34 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[3] Anomochilus Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 1 | 33 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[4] Melanophidium punctatum Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 1 | 33 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[5] Melanophidium wynaudensis Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 34 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[6] Platyplecturus madurensis Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 2 | 32 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[7] Uropeltis woodmasoni bmnh 1930.5.8.73-74 Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[8] Brachyophidium rhodogaster bmnh 1930.5.8.98 Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[9] Rhinophis drummondhayi bmnh 1930.5.8.67-68[b] Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[10] Rhinophis sanguineus Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 1 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[11] Plectrurus perrotetii Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 34 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[12] Pseudotyphlops philippinus Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[13] Plectrurus aureus Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[14] Uropeltis woodmasoni Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 0 | 39 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[15] Brachyophidium rhodogaster Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 1 | 38 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[16] Uropeltis rubramaculatis Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 2 | 32 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[17] Uropeltis melanogaster tmm m-10045 Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 5 | 29 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[18] Uropeltis melanogaster Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 6 | 28 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[19] Rhinophis blythi Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 3 | 31 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[20] Uropeltis sp. Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 2 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[21] Rhinophis philippinus? Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 1 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[22] Rhinophis philippinus Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 3 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[23] Rhinophis homolepis Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 3 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
[24] Rhinophis drummondhayi Last Modified in 12/05/13 | 3 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Project views
type | number of views | Individual items viewed (where applicable) |
Total project views | 48388 | |
Project overview | 4683 | |
Matrix views | 2915 | Matrix landing page (2507 views); Olori and Bell Matrix (408 views); |
Media views | 7874 | Media search (6054 views); M287381 (899 views); M287380 (921 views); |
Specimen list | 20816 | |
Taxon list | 9977 | |
Bibliography | 2109 | |
Documents list | 9 | |
Views for media list | 5 |
Project downloads
type | number of downloads | Individual items downloaded (where applicable) |
Total downloads from project | 356 | |
Media downloads | 3 | M287381 (2 downloads); M287380 (1 download); |
Matrix downloads | 11 | Olori and Bell Matrix (11 downloads); |
Project downloads | 342 |