Genetic Structure Of Elaphe Carinata Population And Its Influencing Factors

The kingsnake,Elaphe carinata,belongs to the class Reptilia,order Serpentiformes,family Colubridae,and genus Elaphe.It is one of China's most common and non-venomous snakes,which widely distributed in a variety of habitats in the hilly countryside from 19 provinces and cities range from Guangdong,Guangxi and Guizhou to Beijing and Tianjin.To access the genetic diversity and population structure of E.carinata,a total of 85 samples from 10 localities were sequenced and analyzed for four mitochondrial gene fragments and restriction site-associated DNA(RAD)markers,respectively.Based on markers above,the specific conclusions were as follows:1)The whole population of the snake was significantly differentiated in the east-west direction along the boundary of Taihang Mountains and Wushan Mountains,which was in line with the isolation-by-distance(IBD)model.In addition,environmental factors also played an important role in explaining the genetic structure of the population,especially the three temperature-related climatic factors:Isothermality(Bio3),Max temperature of warmest month(Bio5)and Mean temperature of wettest quarter(Bio8).2)Based on phylogenetic analysis,we hypothesize that the Guilin(GL)population in Guangxi province may be the ancestor,and individuals within this population spread,adapted and colonized outward,eventually forming the widespread distribution of this snake today.3)Combined with the two molecular markers,it was speculated that sex-biased dispersal occurs in the populations.The male prefers to diffuse,while the female prefers to stay.This study is the first to investigate the population genetics of the wild E.carinata distributed in mainland China and can provide a valuable scientific basis and reference for the development of conservation and management policies of wild snake resources.