Intervertebral Variation of North American Pit Vipers (Squamata, Viperidae) Using Geometric Morphometrics

Authors' Affiliations

Lance D. Jessee, Austin R.J. Gause, and Blaine W. Schubert, Department of Geosciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN

Location

Ballroom

Start Date

4-12-2019 9:00 AM

End Date

4-12-2019 2:30 PM

Poster Number

4

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Geosciences

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Blaine Schubert

Classification of First Author

Graduate Student-Master’s

Type

Poster: Competitive

Project's Category

Evolutionary Biology, Morphology, Paleobiology

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Within Pleistocene cave deposits, snake fossils tend to be relatively common and generally occur as isolated vertebrae. However, the specific, and sometimes generic, identification of isolated snake vertebrae is often hindered by the significant amount of intra- and interspecific variation along the precloacal vertebral column, a subject that has largely been neglected in many fossil snake identifications. Identifications are typically based on the vertebrae of disarticulated modern specimens with preference given to mid-trunk vertebrae. This study utilizes 2-D geometric morphometrics to determine the extent of intervertebral variation along the precloacal vertebral column of North American pit vipers of the genera Crotalus (rattlesnakes) and Agkistrodon (copperheads and moccasins), two closely related genera geographically sympatric in northeast Tennessee and much of the eastern United States with similar vertebral morphologies. The focus of this study is to determine the need for identifying the morphological regionalization of the precloacal vertebral column and determining the regional position of isolated vertebra prior to identification. Using one individual from each genus, every third vertebra was chosen and analyzed in anterior view using geometric morphometrics and relative warp analyses. A discriminant function analysis was then performed to distinguish between the two genera. Viperid fossils from Hickory Tree Cave in northeast Tennessee underwent the same geometric morphometric and discriminant function analyses as a means of identification. It is expected that the relative warp analyses will show some morphological regionalization of the precloacal vertebral column, but may prove to not be significant enough for use in the identification of isolated vertebrae. In that case, comparison to mid-trunk vertebrae for identification may prove accurate. This study also shows the need for more modern skeletal specimens in herpetological collections and the need for preserving the vertebral order of those specimens.

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Apr 12th, 9:00 AM Apr 12th, 2:30 PM

Intervertebral Variation of North American Pit Vipers (Squamata, Viperidae) Using Geometric Morphometrics

Ballroom

Within Pleistocene cave deposits, snake fossils tend to be relatively common and generally occur as isolated vertebrae. However, the specific, and sometimes generic, identification of isolated snake vertebrae is often hindered by the significant amount of intra- and interspecific variation along the precloacal vertebral column, a subject that has largely been neglected in many fossil snake identifications. Identifications are typically based on the vertebrae of disarticulated modern specimens with preference given to mid-trunk vertebrae. This study utilizes 2-D geometric morphometrics to determine the extent of intervertebral variation along the precloacal vertebral column of North American pit vipers of the genera Crotalus (rattlesnakes) and Agkistrodon (copperheads and moccasins), two closely related genera geographically sympatric in northeast Tennessee and much of the eastern United States with similar vertebral morphologies. The focus of this study is to determine the need for identifying the morphological regionalization of the precloacal vertebral column and determining the regional position of isolated vertebra prior to identification. Using one individual from each genus, every third vertebra was chosen and analyzed in anterior view using geometric morphometrics and relative warp analyses. A discriminant function analysis was then performed to distinguish between the two genera. Viperid fossils from Hickory Tree Cave in northeast Tennessee underwent the same geometric morphometric and discriminant function analyses as a means of identification. It is expected that the relative warp analyses will show some morphological regionalization of the precloacal vertebral column, but may prove to not be significant enough for use in the identification of isolated vertebrae. In that case, comparison to mid-trunk vertebrae for identification may prove accurate. This study also shows the need for more modern skeletal specimens in herpetological collections and the need for preserving the vertebral order of those specimens.