The Comparison of Morphological and Molecular Characters Inheritance in Family Groups of Rat Snakes of Elaphe Genus (Serpentes: Colubridae)

Olga Sideleva, Natalia Ananjeva, Sergius Ryabov, Nikolai Orlov

Abstract


The estimating of interspecific hybrids in nature is frequently difficult. Incomplete knowledge of pedigrees in natural populations limits the investigation of hybrids. Snakes breeding in captivity provide a model system for dissolving such evolutionary problem. In present investigation were studied principles of heredity of morphological and molecular characters in rat snakes (Elaphe genus, Colubridae family). We found that in interspecific hybrids of rat snakes the number of subcaudal scales has the average meaning between the values in parental individuals. Coloration is inherited independently of the pattern of snakes. There are at least four independent characters: background coloration, type of pattern, frequency of elements in color pattern, color of bands or spots. Molecular RAPD-DNA–markers have paternal inheritance. There is inheritance of the complex of paternal RAPD fragments that could show the possibility of linkage between these specific markers. This study found the opportunity to determine the hybrid origin of rat snakes in natural populations with application of the complex analysis of morphological characters which are mostly similar with maternal species, and molecular characters which comes from the paternal species.

Keywords


inheritance; family groups; genealogy; hybrids; molecular markers; Elaphe

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2003-10-2-149-156

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