First helminthological data on the Iberian adder, Vipera seoanei.

The helminth fauna present in the gut contents of Iberian adders, Vipera seoanei (Squamata: Viperidae), were characterised and analysed in respect to biological and eco-geographic factors that may affect the occurrence and diversity of helminths in this species. A total of 317 samples of preserved stomachs and intestines, covering the distributional range of V. seoanei, were examined. Similar to other Vipera species from the Iberian Peninsula, the helminth fauna was also impoverished in V. seoanei, but unlike other Vipera species from Central and East Europe, helminths were mostly found in adult vipers, and occurred in vipers located at the periphery of the species range, characterised by low elevation, high temperature and precipitation levels, and abundant pastures.

Deep evolutionary lineages in a Western Mediterranean snake (Vipera latastei/monticola group) and high genetic structuring in Southern Iberian populations.

Phylogeographic studies during the last decade confirmed an internal complexity of the Iberian Peninsula and northern Maghreb as refugial areas during the Miocene to Pleistocene period. Species with low vagility that experienced the complex climatic and palaeogeographic processes occurred in the Western Mediterranean Basin are excellent candidates to study the extent of lineage diversification in this region. We applied phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial data to infer the evolutionary history of Vipera latastei/monticola and identify the major biogeographic events structuring the genetic diversity within this group. We obtained a well-resolved phylogeny, with four highly divergent lineages (one African and three Iberian) that originated in the Tertiary. Coalescence-based estimations suggest that the differentiation of the four major lineages in V. latastei/monticola corresponds to the Messinian salinity crisis and the reopening of the Strait of Gibraltar during the Miocene. Subsequent Pliocene and Pleistocene climatic oscillations continued to isolate both Iberian and Maghrebian populations and led to a high genetic structuring in this group, particularly in Southern Iberia, a complex palaeogeographic and topographic region with high endemism levels. This study does not support the current taxonomy of the group, thus suggesting that an integrative evaluation of Iberian and African populations is needed to resolve its systematics.