Scorpions of the genus Odontobuthus Vachon, 1950 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Iran: Phylogenetic relationships inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequence data |
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| Authors: | Sara Azghadi Shahrokh Navidpour Mansour Aliabadian |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.;2. Department of Venomous Animals &3. Toxins, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran.;4. Zoological Innovations Research Department, Institute of Applied Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. |
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| Abstract: | The molecular phylogeny of the genus Odontobuthus Vachon, 1950 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Iran was evaluated using two mitochondrial DNA genes, cytochrome c oxidase, subunit I (COI) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA). The molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed using Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. The resulting topologies supported two main clades: the clade comprising Odontobuthus doriae, O. bidentatus, and O. tavighiae, and another one which is the O. tirgari clade. The results clearly presented additional support for the taxonomic validity of the recently described species, O. tirgari and O. tavighiae. In addition, the monophyly of two previously described species O. doriae and O. bidentatus was confirmed. According to the data presented here, three taxonomically valid species belonging to the genus Odontobuthus occur in Iran. |
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| Keywords: | Odontobuthus scorpions Arachnida COI 16S rRNA |
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