Mitochondrial DNA discriminates distinct population of two deadly snakes (Reptilia: Elapidae) in Northeast India

Abstract

The DNA data of Indian snakes are scanty in the global database, especially from the northeastern states. The present study generated the mitochondrial Cytochrome b gene information of two morphologically identified deadly elapid species from Mizoram. Both, the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) and Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) showed monophyletic clades in the BA topology and cohesively clustered with the database sequences generated from distant geographical locations. The studied O. hannah depicted 2.7-7.6% K2P genetic distances with the specimens collected from China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Further, the northeast Indian B. fasciatus revealed 3.3-4% K2P genetic distance from Chinese, Vietnamese, Thailand, Indonesian, and Australian specimens. The TCS network showed distinct haplotypes for both the species collected from northeast India. The genetic information of these venomous snakes would be helpful for further rapid identification from the museum as well as from roadkilled specimens, curbing the venom poaching and medical avenues.

DNA barcoding elucidates the population genetic diversity of venomous cobra species (Reptilia: Elapidae) in Indo-Bangladesh region

“…Further, this molecular tool is also successfully evident in forensic science by naming the unknown snakes from their venoms (Sharma et al 2016;Smith et al 2018). The earlier study suggested significant genetic divergence was observed in the different population of two deadly snakes in India and other adjacent countries (Ophiophagus hannah and Bungarus fasciatus) (Kundu et al 2020). However, the population genetic diversity of N. naja and N. kaouthia is yet to be explored especially from Indo-Bangladesh region.…”

Molecular phylogeny reveals distinct evolutionary lineages of the banded krait, Bungarus fasciatus (Squamata, Elapidae) in Asia

“…Although there are no studies specifically on the molecular systematics of this species, several previous studies have highlighted intra-specific or geographical variability based on genetic barcoding 46 – 48 . Accurate species delimitation is crucial in view of the variability in snake venom composition 49 and its potential effects on antivenom efficacy 50 .…”

Bungarus fasciatus venom from eastern and north-east India: venom variation and immune cross-reactivity with Indian polyvalent antivenoms

“…Although there are no studies specifically on the molecular systematics of this species, several previous studies have highlighted intra-specific or geographical variability based on genetic barcoding [46][47][48]. Accurate species delimitation is crucial in view of the variability in snake venom composition [49] and its potential effects on antivenom efficacy [50].…”