Origin of the eastern brownsnake, Pseudonaja textilis (Dumeril, Bibron and Dumeril) (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) in New Guinea: evidence of multiple dispersals from Australia, and comments on the status of Pseudonaja textilis pughi Hoser 2003

Abstract

Pseudonaja textilis is a widespread and common snake in eastern parts of Australia, but its distribution in New Guinea is poorly understood, and the origin of the New Guinea populations and its timing have been the subject of much speculation. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences from three New Guinea populations of P. textilis indicates that New Guinea was colonised from two independent eastern and western migration routes most likely in the Pleistocene. One dispersal event from northern Queensland led to the populations in eastern New Guinea (Milne Bay, Oro and Central Provinces, Papua New Guinea), whereas another, from Arnhem Land to central southern New Guinea, led to the populations from the Merauke area, Indonesian Papua. The results are consistent with the effects of Pleistocene sea level changes on the physical geography of Australasia, and are thus suggestive of a natural rather than anthropogenic origin of the New Guinea populations. The taxonomic status of the New Guinean populations is discussed.

Demographic analyses of marine and terrestrial snakes (Elapidae) using whole genome sequences

“…Particularly notable in this respect is the Australian brown snake, P. textilis. This species contains three distinct mitochondrial clades on mainland Australia, and appears to have colonised New Guinea at least twice in the Pleistocene via a land bridge that connected the two landmassess during lower sea levels (Skinner et al, 2005;Williams et al, 2008). Our analyses show much stronger fluctuations in N e in the brown snake compared to the Indian cobra (N. naja), although both species have wide continental distributions and use varied habitats.…”

Testing the effect of transient Plio-Pleistocene barriers in monsoonal Australo-Papua: did mangrove habitats maintain genetic connectivity in the Black Butcherbird?

“…2005; Murphy et al. 2007; Williams et al. 2008)—the region where a land bridge has been present most often (Fig.…”

“…However, there is also evidence of a second pathway between northwestern Australia and southern New Guinea during the Pleistocene (Black 1986; Wüster et al. 2005; Williams et al. 2008)—presumably across land exposed less frequently when sea levels were lower than ∼50–60 m below present (Fig.…”

Annotated checklist of the recent and extinct pythons (Serpentes, Pythonidae), with notes on nomenclature, taxonomy, and distribution

“…One author, the amateur herpetologist Raymond T. Hoser of Victoria, Australia, has caused considerable confusion in python taxonomy over the last decade by describing numerous taxa (6 new genera and subgenera, 4 new species, and 19 new subspecies) in the non-peer-reviewed literature without providing adequate descriptions for his proposed new taxa (for discussions see Aplin 1999 , 2002 , Wüster et al 2001 , Williams et al 2006 , 2008 , Schleip 2008 ). Hoser rarely included important taxonomic information or data on scale counts, numbers of specimen examined, statistics, or the results of DNA analysis.…”

“…In general, the professional herpetological community has rarely accepted Hoser's taxa ( Wüster et al 2001 , Aplin 2002 , Williams et al 2006 , 2008 , Schleip 2008 , Zaher et al 2009 ) unless one of his numerous names turns out to be valid and a senior synonym based on more exacting scientific work carried out by professional researchers, as was the case with Broghammerus .…”