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Brown JI, Hernández F, Engilis A, Hernández-Baños BE, Collins D, Lavretsky P. Genomic and morphological data shed light on the complexities of shared ancestry between closely related duck species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10212. [PMID: 35715515 PMCID: PMC9205961 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14270-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Causes for genomic and morphological similarities among recently radiated species are often multifaceted and are further convoluted among species that readily interbreed. Here, we couple genomic and morphological trait comparisons to test the extent that ancestry and gene flow explain the retention of mallard-like traits within a sister species, the Mexican duck. First, we confirm that these taxa remain genetically structured, and that Mexican ducks exhibit an isolation-by-distance pattern. Despite the assumption of wide-spread hybridization, we found only a few late-stage hybrids, all from the southwestern USA. Next, assessing 23 morphological traits, we developed a genetically-vetted morphological key that is > 97% accurate in distinguishing across sex-age cohorts of Mexican ducks, mallards, and hybrids. During key development, we determined that 25% of genetically pure, immature male Mexican ducks of the northern population naturally displayed mallard-like traits in their formative plumage. In fact, applying this key to 55 museum specimens, we identified that only four of the 14 specimens originally classified as phenotypic hybrids were truly hybrids. We discuss how genomic and morphological comparisons shed light into the mechanism(s) underlying the evolution of complex phenotypic traits in recent radiations, and how misunderstanding the true morphological diversity within Mexican ducks resulted in taxonomic revisions that hindered conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua I Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA.
| | - Flor Hernández
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Andrew Engilis
- Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Blanca E Hernández-Baños
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico
| | - Dan Collins
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Region 2 Migratory Bird Program, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Philip Lavretsky
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
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Lavretsky P, Duenez E, Kneece M, Kaminski RM. Population Genetics of a Translocated Population of Mottled Ducks and Allies. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip Lavretsky
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at El Paso El Paso TX 79668 USA
| | - Esmeralda Duenez
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at El Paso El Paso TX 79668 USA
| | - Molly Kneece
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Georgetown SC 29440 USA
| | - Richard M. Kaminski
- Clemson University's James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Center Georgetown SC 29442 USA
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Lavretsky P, Janzen T, McCracken KG. Identifying hybrids & the genomics of hybridization: Mallards & American black ducks of Eastern North America. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:3470-3490. [PMID: 30962906 PMCID: PMC6434578 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Resolving evolutionary relationships and establishing population structure depends on molecular diagnosability that is often limited for closely related taxa. Here, we use 3,200 ddRAD-seq loci across 290 mallards, American black ducks, and putative hybrids to establish population structure and estimate hybridization rates. We test between traditional assignment probability and accumulated recombination events based analyses to assign hybrids to generational classes. For hybrid identification, we report the distribution of recombination events complements ADMIXTURE simulation by extending resolution past F4 hybrid status; however, caution against hybrid assignment based on accumulated recombination events due to an inability to resolve F1 hybrids. Nevertheless, both analyses suggest that there are relatively few backcrossed stages before a lineage's hybrid ancestry is lost and the offspring are effectively parental again. We conclude that despite high rates of observed interspecific hybridization between mallards and black ducks in the middle part of the 20th century, our results do not support the predicted hybrid swarm. Conversely, we report that mallard samples genetically assigned to western and non-western clusters. We indicate that these non-western mallards likely originated from game-farm stock, suggesting landscape level gene flow between domestic and wild conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Lavretsky
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Texas at El PasoEl PasoTexas
- Department of BiologyUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida
| | - Thijs Janzen
- Department of Ecological Genomics, Institute for Biology and Environmental SciencesCarl von Ossietzky Universität OldenburgOldenburgGermany
| | - Kevin G. McCracken
- Department of BiologyUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
- Human Genetics and GenomicsHussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida
- Institute of Arctic Biology and University of Alaska MuseumUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaska
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