AN ELECTROPHORETIC APPROACH TO THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE SUBSPECIES OF THE LANCEHEAD BOTHROPS-NEUWIEDI (SERPENTES, VIPERIDAE)

Abstract

Bothrops neuwiedi is a lancehead with twelve recognized subspecies and a wide geographic distribution through South America. The relationships among six subspecies of B. neuwiedi were studied by means of plasma electrophoresis. The degrees of similarity among the subspecies were not geographically structured, and two main groups were recognised according to the electrophoregram patterns.