DNA barcoding elucidates the population genetic diversity of venomous cobra species (Reptilia: Elapidae) in Indo-Bangladesh region Shantanu Kundu Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga Md. Mizanur Rahman Md. Farid Ahsan Lal Biakzuala Vikas Kumar Kailash Chandra A. M. A. M. Zonaed Siddiki 10.6084/m9.figshare.12515096.v1 https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/online_resource/DNA_barcoding_elucidates_the_population_genetic_diversity_of_venomous_cobra_species_Reptilia_Elapidae_in_Indo-Bangladesh_region/12515096 <p>The DNA barcode data of venomous cobra species (<i>Naja naja</i> and <i>Naja kaouthia</i>) are limited in the global database, especially from India and Bangladesh. Owing to the rapid success of DNA barcoding for discriminating a variety of species around the world, the present study aimed to generate the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene information of two morphologically identified deadly elapid species from the Mizoram state in northeast India and Rangpur in northern Bangladesh. The multiple species delimitation methods: Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD), General Mixed Yule-Coalescent (GMYC), and Poisson-Tree-Processes (bPTP) revealed 14, 16, and 18 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) for 12 <i>Naja</i> species. The binocellate cobra, <i>N. naja</i> showed monophyletic clustering in both maximum-likelihood (ML) and Bayesian (BA) trees, single MOTU in ABGD and GMYC, and negligible intra-species genetic distance (0.2%) with two haplotypes. However, the monocellate cobra, <i>N. kaouthia</i> showed paraphyletic and polytomy in ML and BA phylogenies respectively; more than one MOTUs in ABGD, GMYC, and bPTP analyses; and sufficient intra-species genetic distances (0.6–2.3%) with five haplotypes related to the diverse geographical locations in Bangladesh, China, India, and Thailand. By superimposing the executed species delimitation criteria, the present molecular-based investigation concludes the presence of cryptic diversity of <i>N. kaouthia</i> in Indo-Bangladesh, China, and Thailand.</p> 2020-06-19 14:08:11 Elapidae venomous snake mitochondrial DNA phylogeny haplotypes