Dissertation Research: Phylogenetic Relationships and the Evolution of Venoms in the South American "Triad" Coral Snakes (Micrurus, Elapidae)

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9412285 Sites Coral snakes (Elapidae:Micrurus) constitute a large and colorful group of highly neurotoxic New World snakes that attain high species diversity in the tropics and have served as models for a variety of studies of mimicry. Recent studies of their phylogenetic (genealogical) relationships have failed in many respects; species groups have only been tentatively identified and remain weakly supported. The present study will address this problem using a combination of morphological, isozyme, and mtDNA sequence data. Its second objective will be to develop a hypothesis about the history of change in venom biochemistry within this group of snakes using 10-12 commonly assayed venom enzymes. This hypothesis will provide a framework for additional natural history and venom toxicity studies of the species within an ecological context.