Hello all!

I am doing my thesis work on Heterodon platirhinos and have discovered something troubling. Currently I am doing some work with taxonomy and have noticed that several people consider the Madagascar Hognose Snakes (Leioheterodon) a close ally to American Heterodon sp. How is this possible? I realize that during certain key points in the earths geologic history sections of the Americas where linked with Africa and there was a possibility of Heterodon like snakes making there way into Africa. But isn’t it possible that the similarities between Leioheterodon and Heterodon are examples of convergent evolution at work? Please let me know what you think here.

Thanks a bunch!

Zac

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