Taxonomic Study on Two Subspecies of European Grass Snake (Rhabdophis tigrina) in Korea

한국산 유혈목이 (Rhabodophis Tigrina) 2 아종의 분류학적 연구

Electrophoretic method is and morphometric analysis were used to examine genetic and phenetic variation among 16 populations of Rhabdophis tigrina and to clarify the subspecific status of R.t.tigrina and R.t. lateralis in Korea. The degree of genic variation based on 23 presume loci was moderate and was similar to those found for other vertebrates. Interpopulation levels of genic differentiation were slight for all populations studied and overall genetic similarities were =0.970. The number of ventral and subcaudal scales showed clinal variation with increasing tendency in numbers toward south . Discriminant function analysis based on six morphometric characters revealed that there were no morphometric differentiation between two subspecies, therefore it was concluded that they were same taxon and R.t. lateralis (Berthold, 1859) should be treated as synonym of R. t. tigrina(Boie, 1826)

한국산 유혈목이(Rhabdophis tigrina)의 유전 및 형태적 변이를 조사한 결과 각 집단간의 유전적 근연치는 S=O.970$\pm$0.009로서 야생물군의 동종내 집단간 근연치와 동일하였으며 Rhabdophis tigrina lateralis 와 Rhabdophis tigrina tigrina 두 아종의 형태변이에 관해서는 미하판수, 복판수와 미하판수의 총수가 대륙산과 일본산 공히 북부지방에서 남부지방으로 내려올 수록 그 수가 증가하는 구배현상을 나타태고 었어 별아종으로 분류할 수 없으며 6개 형태 형질에 대한 discriminant function analysis 결과 한국산 유혈목이는 동일종임이 확인되었다. 그러므로 Rhabdophis trgrina lateralis (Berthold, 1859)은 Rhabdophis trgrina tigrina (Boie, 1826)의 동종이명으로 분류함이 타당하다고 사료된다.