Phylogenetic relationships among European ratsnakes of the genus Elaphe Fitzinger based on mitochondrial DNA sequence comparisons

In order to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships in European ratsnakes of the genus Elaphe, we analyzed a 597 by part of the mitochondrial cytochr ome b gene of eight West Eurasian and one East Asian species. Lamprapeltis served as outgroup. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood suggest the ex istence of four lineages: 1) E. scalaris; 2) the E. longissima species grou p comprising E. longissima, E. lineata, E. situla, E. hohenackeri, and E. p ersica; 3) E. quatuorlineata and 4) E. dione as a sister group to 3). Elaph e scalaris is basal and shows no closer affiliation with any other analyzed species. The Middle Eastern E. persica and E. hohenackeri appear basal wit hin the E. longissima group. Elaphe lineata differs by 8% nucleotide substi tutions from E. longissima, supporting the hypothesis that both taxa repres ent distinct species. Elaphe situla is associated with Elaphe longissima an d E. lineata. Three analyzed subspecies of E. quatuorlineata are represente d by distinct haplotypes. The extent of divergence gives reason to assign s pecies status to the taxon sauromates. Besides, we found two very distinct haplotypes within the range of E. (q.) sauromates, indicating the existence of a third, so far unidentified, species within the E. quatuorlineata comp lex. The East Asian E. porphyracea clusters with the E. longissima group. T his, as well as comparisons with supplementary sequences of Asian Elaphe sp ecies, document the multiple origins of European Elaphe.