中华珊瑚蛇属物种多样性和分子系统地理学研究

Those species with large body size in Elapinae have evoked more attentions in the academia and other communities, due to their uniquely behavioral characteristics, large population size, high economic importance and aesthetic appeal. Disproportionally, the snakes with small body size always evoke correspondingly little attentions than those large species. There are little specimens and molecular data of them in the past studies. Five species had been reported in the genus Sinomicrurus. S.hatori and S. sauteri are endemic to Taiwan. S. kelloggi and S. macclellandi are mainly found in China and adjacent Southeast Asian countries. S. japonicus only occurs at Japan. There are many controversies and questions in this genus, for example, the validity of species S. hatori and several subspecies of S. macclellandi, and some possible cryptic species. Taxonomy is the base under all biological studies, and should be the first question that should be concerned to us. We plan to investigate and capture coral snakes in their distribution region, take photos, record morphological data, sample tissues noninvsively (shelled skin or the free end of the ventrals), then release the captive snakes or take them back and raise them at laboratory. We try to delimite the species and subspecies boundaries in this genus, and their evolutionary relationships based on a combination of morphological data and molecular evidences, and also discuss the relationship between the genetic differentiation of species (as well as populations) and the geological histories of the islands Taiwan, Hainan and Japan.

眼镜蛇亚科中那些体型较大的物种，具有行为特征明显、野生数量较多、经济价值和观赏价值高等特点。它们倍受学术界和社会各界关注。不相称地，眼镜蛇亚科中体型较小的物种受到的关注度相对较低，已经报导的标本数量少，分子数据少等。华珊瑚蛇属有5个种，Hatori氏华珊瑚蛇和台湾华珊瑚蛇为台湾特有种，中华珊瑚蛇和福建华珊瑚蛇主要分布于中国及邻近的东南亚国家，日本华珊瑚蛇是日本特有种。该属在分类学上存在诸多问题，如：hatori氏华珊瑚蛇的有效性、若干亚种的有效性、和若干个可能的隐含种等。分类学是生物学研究的基础，是必须首先搞清楚的问题。本申请拟在分布区广泛采集华珊瑚蛇，拍照、记录形态数据、非损伤取样组织(蛇脱或腹鳞游离端)，活体放生或带回实验室饲养。结合形态学和分子系统地理学的理论和方法，尝试厘清该属种和亚种的分类地位和进化关系，探讨物种分化、种群遗传分歧与台湾、海南、日本等岛屿形成的地质历史的关系。

眼镜蛇亚科中那些体型较大的物种倍受学术界和社会各界关注。不相称地，眼镜蛇亚科中体型较小的物种受到的关注度相对较低，已经报导的标本数量少，分子数据少等,例如华珊瑚蛇物种。本项目的研究内容是在充分野外考察和采样、形态和分子比较研究的基础上，厘清中华珊瑚蛇属各种和各亚种的有效性，探测可能的隐存种，重建它们之间的系统演化关系和进化历史。探讨物种分化、种群遗传分歧与台湾、海南、日本等岛屿形成的地质历史的关系。. 本项目共获得标本36个。主要结果是1) 海南华珊瑚蛇新种描述、云南发现福建华珊瑚蛇新记录论文已见刊。2) 斯氏华珊瑚蛇新种论文正在投稿。3) 点斑华珊瑚蛇是一个有效的新种。论文正在撰写。4) 中华珊瑚蛇脊纹亚种可以提升为种。5) 尼泊尔产中华珊瑚蛇是新种。一旦获得标本，可以描述新种。6) 部分样本的基因富集实验已完成，每个个样品得到了数千个序列。补充岛屿样本后，可以撰写“中华珊瑚蛇属系统发育”论文。. 共21篇论文标注了该项目，其中SCIE论文9篇，核心期刊论文10篇，其他论文2篇。.