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Yuan J, Wang G, Zhao L, Kitchener AC, Sun T, Chen W, Huang C, Wang C, Xu X, Wang J, Lu H, Xu L, Jiangzuo Q, Murphy WJ, Wu D, Li G. How genomic insights into the evolutionary history of clouded leopards inform their conservation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh9143. [PMID: 37801506 PMCID: PMC10558132 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh9143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Clouded leopards (Neofelis spp.), a morphologically and ecologically distinct lineage of big cats, are severely threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, targeted hunting, and other human activities. The long-held poor understanding of their genetics and evolution has undermined the effectiveness of conservation actions. Here, we report a comprehensive investigation of the whole genomes, population genetics, and adaptive evolution of Neofelis. Our results indicate the genus Neofelis arose during the Pleistocene, coinciding with glacial-induced climate changes to the distributions of savannas and rainforests, and signatures of natural selection associated with genes functioning in tooth, pigmentation, and tail development, associated with clouded leopards' unique adaptations. Our study highlights high-altitude adaptation as the main factor driving nontaxonomic population differentiation in Neofelis nebulosa. Population declines and inbreeding have led to reduced genetic diversity and the accumulation of deleterious variation that likely affect reproduction of clouded leopards, highlighting the urgent need for effective conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqing Yuan
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Guiqiang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Le Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
- QinLing-Bashan Mountains Bioresources Comprehensive Development C. I. C., School of Bioscience and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, China
| | - Andrew C. Kitchener
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH9 3PX, UK
| | - Ting Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Wu Chen
- Guangzhou Zoo, Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Guangzhou Zoo, Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jinhong Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Huimeng Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Lulu Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Qigao Jiangzuo
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - William J. Murphy
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Dongdong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Gang Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
- Guangzhou Zoo, Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou, China
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2
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Sooriyabandara MGC, Bandaranayake AU, Hathurusinghe HABM, Jayasundara SM, Marasinghe MSRRP, Prasad GAT, Abeywardana VPMK, Pinidiya MA, Nilanthi RMR, Bandaranayake PCG. A unique single nucleotide polymorphism in Agouti Signalling Protein (ASIP) gene changes coat colour of Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) to dark black. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0269967. [PMID: 37440497 PMCID: PMC10343082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) is an endangered subspecies restricted to isolated and fragmented populations in Sri Lanka. Among them, melanistic leopards have been recorded on a few occasions. Literature suggests the evolution of melanism several times in the Felidae family, with three species having distinct mutations. Nevertheless, the mutations or other variations in the remaining species, including Sri Lankan melanistic leopard, are unknown. We used reference-based assembled nuclear genomes of Sri Lankan wild type and melanistic leopards and de novo assembled mitogenomes of the same to investigate the genetic basis, adaptive significance, and evolutionary history of the Sri Lankan melanistic leopard. Interestingly, we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism in exon-4 Sri Lankan melanistic leopard, which may completely ablate Agouti Signalling Protein (ASIP) function. The wild type leopards in Sri Lanka did not carry this mutation, suggesting the cause for the occurrence of melanistic leopords in the population. Comparative analysis of existing genomic data in the literature suggests it as a P. p. kotiya specific mutation and a novel mutation in the ASIP-gene of the Felidae family, contributing to naturally occurring colour polymorphism. Our data suggested the coalescence time of Sri Lankan leopards at ~0.5 million years, sisters to the Panthera pardus lineage. The genetic diversity was low in Sri Lankan leopards. Further, the P. p. kotiya melanistic leopard is a different morphotype of the P. p. kotiya wildtype leopard resulting from the mutation in the ASIP-gene. The ability of black leopards to camouflage, along with the likelihood of recurrence and transfer to future generations, suggests that this rare mutation could be environment-adaptable.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A. U. Bandaranayake
- Department of Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - H. A. B. M. Hathurusinghe
- Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - S. M. Jayasundara
- Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | | | - G. A. T. Prasad
- Department of Wildlife Conservation, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
| | | | - M. A. Pinidiya
- Department of Wildlife Conservation, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
| | | | - P. C. G. Bandaranayake
- Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
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3
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Way to big cats: Directional selection in body size evolution in living felids. J MAMM EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-022-09639-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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4
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Bursell MG, Dikow RB, Figueiró HV, Dudchenko O, Flanagan JP, Aiden EL, Goossens B, Nathan SK, Johnson WE, Koepfli KP, Frandsen PB. Whole genome analysis of clouded leopard species reveals an ancient divergence and distinct demographic histories. iScience 2022; 25:105647. [PMID: 36590460 PMCID: PMC9801239 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Similar to other apex predator species, populations of mainland (Neofelis nebulosa) and Sunda (Neofelis diardi) clouded leopards are declining. Understanding their patterns of genetic variation can provide critical insights on past genetic erosion and a baseline for understanding their long-term conservation needs. As a step toward this goal, we present draft genome assemblies for the two clouded leopard species to quantify their phylogenetic divergence, genome-wide diversity, and historical population trends. We estimate that the two species diverged 5.1 Mya, much earlier than previous estimates of 1.41 Mya and 2.86 Mya, suggesting they separated when Sundaland was becoming increasingly isolated from mainland Southeast Asia. The Sunda clouded leopard displays a distinct and reduced effective population size trajectory, consistent with a lower genome-wide heterozygosity and SNP density, relative to the mainland clouded leopard. Our results provide new insights into the evolutionary history and genetic health of this unique lineage of felids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline G. Bursell
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA,Data Science Lab, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Rebecca B. Dikow
- Data Science Lab, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Henrique V. Figueiró
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA,UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia,Departments of Computer Science and Computational and Applied Mathematics, Rice University,Houston, TX, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia,Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff, UK,Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | | | - Warren E. Johnson
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA,The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Museum Support Center MRC-534, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD, USA,Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA,Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA,Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Paul B. Frandsen
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA,Data Science Lab, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA,Corresponding author
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5
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O’Brien SJ, Luo SJ. Taxonomic species recognition should be consistent. Natl Sci Rev 2022; 9:nwad022. [PMID: 36788967 PMCID: PMC9923365 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J O’Brien
- Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, USA
| | - Shu-Jin Luo
- The State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, China
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6
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The Sela macaque (Macaca selai) is a distinct phylogenetic species that evolved from the Arunachal macaque following allopatric speciation. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2022; 174:107513. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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7
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Kitchener AC, Hoffmann M, Yamaguchi N, Breitenmoser-Würsten C, Wilting A. A system for designating taxonomic certainty in mammals and other taxa. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00205-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
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8
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Gomez L, Shepherd CR. The illegal exploitation of the Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas) and Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi) in Indonesia. NATURE CONSERVATION 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.43.59399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Indonesia is home to the Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas) and the Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi), both of which are threatened by habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict issues and the illegal wildlife trade. Leopards and clouded leopards are threatened by the illegal wildlife trade across their range, however, very little is known of the illegal trade in these two species in Indonesia, or of the efforts made to tackle this crime. Both the Javan Leopard and Sunda Clouded Leopard are protected species in Indonesia and both species are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), meaning commercial international trade is generally prohibited. To better understand the trade, and efforts to end this trade, we collected records of seizures and prosecutions relating to Javan Leopards and Sunda Clouded Leopards in Indonesia for the period 2011–2019. Despite both species being protected by law, this study reveals the prevalence of extensive poaching, illegal domestic trade and international trafficking of both species. A total of 41 seizure records were obtained from 2011 to 2019, which was estimated to amount to approximately 83 animals, which likely represents only a fraction of the total number of cases and therefore the risk may be substantially greater. Approximately half of the cases resulted in successful prosecution and of these, the highest sentence given was 2 years in jail and a fine of IDR50mil (~USD3300). The majority of the penalties handed down for these crimes were far below the maximum potential penalties and are unlikely to be effective deterrents.
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9
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Pleistocene extinction and geographic singularity explain differences in global felid ensemble structure. Evol Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-021-10103-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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10
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CLOUDED LEOPARD ( NEOFELIS NEBULOSA) MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN CAPTIVE-BRED POPULATIONS: A COMPREHENSIVE RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF MEDICAL DATA FROM 271 INDIVIDUALS IN EUROPEAN, ASIAN, AND AUSTRALIAN ZOOS. J Zoo Wildl Med 2020; 51:150-158. [PMID: 32212558 DOI: 10.1638/2019-0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is classified as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. However, diseases affecting this species across zoo populations are not well documented. The primary objective of this retrospective study was to identify common and significant causes of morbidity and mortality in captive-bred clouded leopards from European, Asian, and Australian institutions. Medical records from 44 zoological parks that held 271 clouded leopards from 1934 to 2017 were reviewed. Major causes of mortality in the dead leopards (n = 141) were respiratory disease (17%), maternal neglect and starvation (12%), generalized infectious disease (10%), digestive disease (10%), and trauma (10%). Six animals lived more than 20 yr and two were older than 22 yr. Diseases were recorded 344 times (average of two per leopard) in 166 living leopards. The body systems most frequently affected by disease in these 166 individuals were, in order of frequency, integumentary (prevalence = 21%), digestive (21%), respiratory (16%), musculoskeletal (12%), and urinary (10%) systems. Neoplasia (7%) was less frequent, followed by cardiovascular (5%), genital (3%), and viral (3%) disorders. Extensive, self-induced alopecia on the tail and dorsum was the most frequently reported dermatological disease, which is proposed to be called the "clouded leopard alopecia syndrome." The most common neoplasm was pheochromocytoma (1%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma of the paw pads, pleural mesothelioma and multicentric lymphomas (<1% each). Dilated cardiomyopathy (2%) was the most common cardiovascular disease. Bronchopneumonia (7%), enteritis (4%), and nephritis (4%) were the most frequently reported respiratory, digestive, and renal diseases, respectively. Diagnosed disease incidence was significantly higher in Europe. This paper reports the results of a comprehensive study of the causes of morbidity and mortality in European, Asian, and Australian clouded leopard zoo populations.
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11
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Sunderland-Groves JL, Tandang MV, Patispathika FH, Marzec A, Knox A, Nurcahyo A, Husson SJ, Sihite J. Suspected Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) predation attempts on two reintroduced Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) in Bukit Batikap Protection Forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Primates 2020; 62:41-49. [PMID: 32623603 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00842-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In February 2017 and August 2018, respectively, two Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) reintroduced into the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest in Central Kalimantan were found in weakened physical condition and with deep puncture wounds. The first individual was a sub-adult male, and the second an adult female whose 6- to 8-week-old infant was missing. Both individuals were rescued and transported back to the field base camp for treatment. Experienced veterinarians treating the injuries reported that the type of wounds appeared consistent with those expected from an attack by a large felid. The Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) is the largest felid known to inhabit Bukit Batikap Protection Forest, and we suspect that these cases were unsuccessful predatory attacks by this species. Given the severity of his condition when found, the male orangutan would probably have died without medical intervention; however, both orangutans fully recovered following intensive treatment and were successfully returned to the forest. Predation attempts on orangutans are infrequently reported, thus our observations add to the body of knowledge about possible predation by clouded leopards on reintroduced, rehabilitant orangutans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline L Sunderland-Groves
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.
- Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Maryos V Tandang
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | | | - Anna Marzec
- University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Knox
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Anton Nurcahyo
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Simon J Husson
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Jamartin Sihite
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
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12
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Cros E, Chattopadhyay B, Garg KM, Ng NSR, Tomassi S, Benedick S, Edwards DP, Rheindt FE. Quaternary land bridges have not been universal conduits of gene flow. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2692-2706. [PMID: 32542783 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Quaternary climate oscillations are a well-known driver of animal diversification, but their effects are most well studied in areas where glaciations lead to habitat fragmentation. In large areas of the planet, however, glaciations have had the opposite effect, but here their impacts are much less well understood. This is especially true in Southeast Asia, where cyclical changes in land distribution have generated enormous land expansions during glacial periods. In this study, we selected a panel of five songbird species complexes covering a range of ecological specificities to investigate the effects Quaternary land bridges have had on the connectivity of Southeast Asian forest biota. Specifically, we combined morphological and bioacoustic analysis with an arsenal of population genomic and modelling approaches applied to thousands of genome-wide DNA markers across a total of more than 100 individuals. Our analyses show that species dependent on forest understorey exhibit deep differentiation between Borneo and western Sundaland, with no evidence of gene flow during the land bridges accompanying the last 1-2 ice ages. In contrast, dispersive canopy species and habitat generalists have experienced more recent gene flow. Our results argue that there remains much cryptic species-level diversity to be discovered in Southeast Asia even in well-known animal groups such as birds, especially in nondispersive forest understorey inhabitants. We also demonstrate that Quaternary land bridges have not been equally suitable conduits of gene flow for all species complexes and that life history is a major factor in predicting relative population divergence time across Quaternary climate fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Cros
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Balaji Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kritika M Garg
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nathaniel S R Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Suzanne Tomassi
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Suzan Benedick
- Sustainable Agriculture School, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Frank E Rheindt
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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13
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Abstract
Of all the big cats, or perhaps of all the endangered wildlife, the tiger may be both the most charismatic and most well-recognized flagship species in the world. The rapidly changing field of molecular genetics, particularly advances in genome sequencing technologies, has provided new tools to reconstruct what characterizes a tiger. Here we review how applications of molecular genomic tools have been used to depict the tiger's ancestral roots, phylogenetic hierarchy, demographic history, morphological diversity, and genetic patterns of diversification on both temporal and geographical scales. Tiger conservation, stabilization, and management are important areas that benefit from use of these genome resources for developing survival strategies for this charismatic megafauna both in situ and ex situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Jin Luo
- The State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
| | - Yue-Chen Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
| | - Xiao Xu
- The State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
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14
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O'Brien SJ. A Beautiful Life: High Risk-High Payoff in Genetic Science. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2020; 8:1-24. [PMID: 31743063 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-021419-083944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This narrative is a personal view of adventures in genetic science and society that have blessed my life and career across five decades. The advances I enjoyed and the lessons I learned derive from educational training, substantial collaboration, and growing up in the genomics age. I parse the stories into six research disciplines my students, fellows, and colleagues have entered and, in some cases, made an important difference. The first is comparative genetics, where evolutionary inference is applied to genome organization, from building gene maps in the 1970s to building whole genome sequences today. The second area tracks the progression of molecular evolutionary advances and applications to resolve the hierarchical relationship among living species in the silence of prehistory. The third endeavor outlines the birth and maturation of genetic studies and application to species conservation. The fourth theme discusses how emerging viruses studied in a genomic sense opened our eyes to host-pathogen interaction and interdependence. The fifth research emphasis outlines the population genetic-based search and discovery of human restriction genes that influence the epidemiological outcome of abrupt outbreaks, notably HIV-AIDS and several cancers. Finally, the last arena explored illustrates how genetic individualization in human and animals has improved forensic evidence in capital crimes. Each discipline has intuitive and technological overlaps, and each has benefitted from the contribution of genetic and genomic principles I learned so long ago from Drosophila. The journey continues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J O'Brien
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia 199004; .,Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33004, USA
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15
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Macdonald DW, Bothwell HM, Kaszta Ż, Ash E, Bolongon G, Burnham D, Can ÖE, Campos‐Arceiz A, Channa P, Clements GR, Hearn AJ, Hedges L, Htun S, Kamler JF, Kawanishi K, Macdonald EA, Mohamad SW, Moore J, Naing H, Onuma M, Penjor U, Rasphone A, Mark Rayan D, Ross J, Singh P, Tan CKW, Wadey J, Yadav BP, Cushman SA. Multi‐scale habitat modelling identifies spatial conservation priorities for mainland clouded leopards (
Neofelis nebulosa
). DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
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16
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Harano T, Kutsukake N. Directional selection in the evolution of elongated upper canines in clouded leopards and sabre-toothed cats. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1268-1283. [PMID: 29904973 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Extremely developed or specialized traits such as the elongated upper canines of extinct sabre-toothed cats are often not analogous to those of any extant species, which limits our understanding of their evolutionary cause. However, an extant species may have undergone directional selection for a similar extreme phenotype. Among living felids, the clouded leopard, Neofelis nebulosa, has exceptionally long upper canines for its body size. We hypothesized that directional selection generated the elongated upper canines of clouded leopards in a manner similar to the process in extinct sabre-toothed cats. To test this, we developed an approach that compared the effect of directional selection among lineages in a phylogeny using a simulation of trait evolution and approximate Bayesian computation. This approach was applied to analyse the evolution of upper canine length in the Felidae phylogeny. Our analyses consistently showed directional selection favouring longer upper canines in the clouded leopard lineage and a lineage leading to the sabre-toothed cat with the longest upper canines, Smilodon. Most of our analyses detected an effect of directional selection for longer upper canines in the lineage leading to another sabre-toothed cat, Homotherium, although this selection may have occurred exclusively in the primitive species. In all the analyses, the clouded leopard and Smilodon lineages showed comparable directional selection. This implies that clouded leopards share a selection advantage with sabre-toothed cats in having elongated upper canines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Harano
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Kutsukake
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Japan
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17
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Ko BJ, An J, Seomun H, Lee MY, Eo SH. Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals lower than expected genetic diversity in the threatened leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in South Korea. Genes Genomics 2018; 40:521-530. [PMID: 29892957 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-018-0654-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
To optimize conservation efforts, it is necessary to determine the risk of extinction by collecting reliable population information for a given species. We developed eight novel, polymorphic microsatellite markers and used these markers in conjunction with twelve existing markers to measure genetic diversity of South Korean populations of leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), a species for which population size and habitat area data are unknown in the country, to assess its conservation status. The average number of alleles and the observed heterozygosity of the species were 3.8 and 0.41, respectively, and microsatellite diversity was lower than the average genetic diversity of 57 populations of 12 other felid species, and lower than that of other mammal populations occurring in South Korea, including the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), water deer (Hydropotes inermis), and endangered long-tailed goral (Naemorhedus caudatus). Furthermore, analysis of genetic structure in the national leopard cat population showed no clear genetic differentiation, suggesting that it is not necessary to divide the South Korean leopard cat population into multiple management units for the purposes of conservation. These results indicate that the genetic diversity of the leopard cat in South Korea is unexpectedly low, and that the risk of local extinction is, as a result, substantial. Thus, it is necessary to begin appropriate conservation efforts at a national level to conserve the leopard cat population in South Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung June Ko
- Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Yesan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Junghwa An
- National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hong Seomun
- National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), Incheon, South Korea
| | - Mu-Yeong Lee
- National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), Incheon, South Korea
| | - Soo Hyung Eo
- Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Yesan, Chungnam, South Korea.
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18
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Taylor KH, Rouse GW, Messing CG. Revising Mariametridae: the genera Dichrometra, Lamprometra, and Liparometra (Echinodermata: Crinoidea). SYST BIODIVERS 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2017.1375044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Greg W. Rouse
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, La Jolla, CA 92093-0202, USA
| | - Charles G. Messing
- Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, NSU, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA
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19
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O'Brien SJ, Johnson WE, Driscoll CA, Dobrynin P, Marker L. Conservation Genetics of the Cheetah: Lessons Learned and New Opportunities. J Hered 2017; 108:671-677. [PMID: 28821181 PMCID: PMC5892392 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The dwindling wildlife species of our planet have become a cause célèbre for conservation groups, governments, and concerned citizens throughout the world. The application of powerful new genetic technologies to surviving populations of threatened mammals has revolutionized our ability to recognize hidden perils that afflict them. We have learned new lessons of survival, adaptation, and evolution from viewing the natural history of genomes in hundreds of detailed studies. A single case history of one species, the African cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is here reviewed to reveal a long-term story of conservation challenges and action informed by genetic discoveries and insights. A synthesis of 3 decades of data, interpretation, and controversy, capped by whole genome sequence analysis of cheetahs, provides a compelling tale of conservation relevance and action to protect this species and other threatened wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J O'Brien
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL; Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, Rockville, MD; and Cheetah Conservation Fund, Otjiwarongo, Namibia
| | - Warren E Johnson
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL; Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, Rockville, MD; and Cheetah Conservation Fund, Otjiwarongo, Namibia
| | - Carlos A Driscoll
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL; Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, Rockville, MD; and Cheetah Conservation Fund, Otjiwarongo, Namibia
| | - Pavel Dobrynin
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL; Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, Rockville, MD; and Cheetah Conservation Fund, Otjiwarongo, Namibia
| | - Laurie Marker
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL; Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, Rockville, MD; and Cheetah Conservation Fund, Otjiwarongo, Namibia
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20
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Nájera F, Hearn AJ, Ross J, Ramírez Saldivar DA, Evans MN, Guerrero-Sánchez S, Nathan SKSS, DE Gaspar Simón I, Macdonald DW, Goossens B, Revuelta Rueda L. Chemical immobilization of free-ranging and captive Sunda clouded leopards (Neofelis diardi) with two anesthetic protocols: medetomidine-ketamine and tiletamine-zolazepam. J Vet Med Sci 2017; 79:1892-1898. [PMID: 28904261 PMCID: PMC5709571 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.17-0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently no available information regarding the veterinary management of Sunda clouded leopards (Neofelis diardi), either in captivity or in the wild. In this study, 12 Sunda clouded leopards were
anesthetized between January 2008 and February 2014 for medical exams, and/or GPS-collaring. Seven wild-caught individuals were kept in captivity and 5 free-ranging animals were captured by cage traps. Two anesthesia combinations
were used: medetomidine-ketamine (M-K) or tiletamine-zolazepam (T-Z). Atipamezole (0.2 mg/kg im) was used as an antagonist for medetomidine. Medetomidine (range: 0.039–0.054 mg/kg) and ketamine (range: 3–4.39 mg/kg) were
administered during 5 immobilizations, resulting in median induction times of 7 min. After a median anesthesia time of 56 min, atipamezole was injected, observing effects of antagonism at a median time of 12 min. T-Z (range:
6.8–10.8 mg/kg) was administered on 7 occasions. Median induction times observed with this combination were shorter than with M-K (4 min vs 7 min; P=0.04), and anesthesia and recovery times were significantly
longer (244 and 35 min vs 56 and 16 min, respectively; P=0.02). Lower heart rates were measured in the M-K group, while lower rectal temperatures were found in the T-Z group. Both combinations resulted in safe and
reliable immobilizations, although given the favorable anesthesia and recovery times of M-K, we recommend this approach over T-Z for the veterinary handling of Sunda clouded leopards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Nájera
- The Bornean Wild Cats Veterinary Project, Department of Animal Physiology, Veterinary College, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.,Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13 5QL, U.K.,Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Andrew J Hearn
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13 5QL, U.K
| | - Joanna Ross
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13 5QL, U.K
| | - Diana A Ramírez Saldivar
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Meaghan N Evans
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CF10 3AX Cardiff, U.K
| | - Sergio Guerrero-Sánchez
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CF10 3AX Cardiff, U.K
| | | | - Ignacio DE Gaspar Simón
- The Bornean Wild Cats Veterinary Project, Department of Animal Physiology, Veterinary College, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13 5QL, U.K
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CF10 3AX Cardiff, U.K
| | - Luis Revuelta Rueda
- The Bornean Wild Cats Veterinary Project, Department of Animal Physiology, Veterinary College, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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21
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Amstislavsky SY, Kozhevnikova VV, Muzika VV, Kizilova EA. Reproductive biology and a genome resource bank of Felidae. Russ J Dev Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360417020023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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22
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Tabasum W, Sreenivas A, Bheemavarapu KK, Golla TR, Gaur A. Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the Indian clouded leopard ( Neofelis nebulosa). MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES 2016; 1:621-622. [PMID: 33473573 PMCID: PMC7800050 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2016.1214543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The complete mitochondrial genome of sequence 16,859 bp of Indian clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) has been sequenced using next generation sequencing technology Torrent PGM platform. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of clouded leopard consists of 13 protein-coding, 22 tRNA, and two rRNA genes and a control region (CR). The mitochondrial genome is relatively similar to other felid mitochondrial genomes with respect to gene arrangement, composition, tRNA structures and skews of AT/GC bases to be typical of those reported for other mammals. The nucleotide composition of the genome shows that there is more A–T% than G–C% on the positive strand as revealed by positive AT and CG skews. The base composition of the mitochondrial genome of clouded leopard is as follows: A, 5362 bp (31.8%); C, 4560bp (27.0%); G, 2475 bp (14.6%); T, 4462 bp (26.4%). Most of the genes have ATG initiation codons, except ND1, ND2, ND3, ND4, ND6, and CYTB (ATA start codon).
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Affiliation(s)
- Wajeeda Tabasum
- Conservation Genetics Lab, LaCONES, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Ara Sreenivas
- Conservation Genetics Lab, LaCONES, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Kesav Kumar Bheemavarapu
- Conservation Genetics Lab, LaCONES, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Tirupathi Rao Golla
- Conservation Genetics Lab, LaCONES, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Ajay Gaur
- Conservation Genetics Lab, LaCONES, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
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23
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Johnson CB, Schall M, Tennison ME, Garcia ME, Shea-Shumsky NB, Raghanti MA, Lewandowski AH, Bertelsen MF, Waller LC, Walsh T, Roberts JF, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Manger PR, Jacobs B. Neocortical neuronal morphology in the Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) and the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa). J Comp Neurol 2016; 524:3641-3665. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cameron B. Johnson
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program; Colorado College; Colorado Springs Colorado 80903
| | - Matthew Schall
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program; Colorado College; Colorado Springs Colorado 80903
| | - Mackenzie E. Tennison
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program; Colorado College; Colorado Springs Colorado 80903
| | - Madeleine E. Garcia
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program; Colorado College; Colorado Springs Colorado 80903
| | - Noah B. Shea-Shumsky
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program; Colorado College; Colorado Springs Colorado 80903
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences; Kent State University; Kent Ohio 44242
| | | | - Mads F. Bertelsen
- Center for Zoo and Wild Animal Health; Copenhagen Zoo; 2000 Fredericksberg Denmark
| | - Leona C. Waller
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program; Colorado College; Colorado Springs Colorado 80903
| | - Timothy Walsh
- Smithsonian National Zoological Park; Washington DC 20008
| | - John F. Roberts
- Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries; Auburn Alabama 36849
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York New York 10029
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology; The George Washington University; Washington DC 20052
| | - Paul R. Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg 2000 South Africa
| | - Bob Jacobs
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program; Colorado College; Colorado Springs Colorado 80903
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24
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Li G, Davis BW, Eizirik E, Murphy WJ. Phylogenomic evidence for ancient hybridization in the genomes of living cats (Felidae). Genome Res 2016; 26:1-11. [PMID: 26518481 PMCID: PMC4691742 DOI: 10.1101/gr.186668.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Inter-species hybridization has been recently recognized as potentially common in wild animals, but the extent to which it shapes modern genomes is still poorly understood. Distinguishing historical hybridization events from other processes leading to phylogenetic discordance among different markers requires a well-resolved species tree that considers all modes of inheritance and overcomes systematic problems due to rapid lineage diversification by sampling large genomic character sets. Here, we assessed genome-wide phylogenetic variation across a diverse mammalian family, Felidae (cats). We combined genotypes from a genome-wide SNP array with additional autosomal, X- and Y-linked variants to sample ∼150 kb of nuclear sequence, in addition to complete mitochondrial genomes generated using light-coverage Illumina sequencing. We present the first robust felid time tree that accounts for unique maternal, paternal, and biparental evolutionary histories. Signatures of phylogenetic discordance were abundant in the genomes of modern cats, in many cases indicating hybridization as the most likely cause. Comparison of big cat whole-genome sequences revealed a substantial reduction of X-linked divergence times across several large recombination cold spots, which were highly enriched for signatures of selection-driven post-divergence hybridization between the ancestors of the snow leopard and lion lineages. These results highlight the mosaic origin of modern felid genomes and the influence of sex chromosomes and sex-biased dispersal in post-speciation gene flow. A complete resolution of the tree of life will require comprehensive genomic sampling of biparental and sex-limited genetic variation to identify and control for phylogenetic conflict caused by ancient admixture and sex-biased differences in genomic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Li
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Brian W Davis
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA; Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Eduardo Eizirik
- Faculdade de Biociências, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS 90619-900, Brazil
| | - William J Murphy
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA; Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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25
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Koepfli KP, Pollinger J, Godinho R, Robinson J, Lea A, Hendricks S, Schweizer RM, Thalmann O, Silva P, Fan Z, Yurchenko AA, Dobrynin P, Makunin A, Cahill JA, Shapiro B, Álvares F, Brito JC, Geffen E, Leonard JA, Helgen KM, Johnson WE, O'Brien SJ, Van Valkenburgh B, Wayne RK. Genome-wide Evidence Reveals that African and Eurasian Golden Jackals Are Distinct Species. Curr Biol 2015; 25:2158-65. [PMID: 26234211 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.06.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The golden jackal of Africa (Canis aureus) has long been considered a conspecific of jackals distributed throughout Eurasia, with the nearest source populations in the Middle East. However, two recent reports found that mitochondrial haplotypes of some African golden jackals aligned more closely to gray wolves (Canis lupus), which is surprising given the absence of gray wolves in Africa and the phenotypic divergence between the two species. Moreover, these results imply the existence of a previously unrecognized phylogenetically distinct species despite a long history of taxonomic work on African canids. To test the distinct-species hypothesis and understand the evolutionary history that would account for this puzzling result, we analyzed extensive genomic data including mitochondrial genome sequences, sequences from 20 autosomal loci (17 introns and 3 exon segments), microsatellite loci, X- and Y-linked zinc-finger protein gene (ZFX and ZFY) sequences, and whole-genome nuclear sequences in African and Eurasian golden jackals and gray wolves. Our results provide consistent and robust evidence that populations of golden jackals from Africa and Eurasia represent distinct monophyletic lineages separated for more than one million years, sufficient to merit formal recognition as different species: C. anthus (African golden wolf) and C. aureus (Eurasian golden jackal). Using morphologic data, we demonstrate a striking morphologic similarity between East African and Eurasian golden jackals, suggesting parallelism, which may have misled taxonomists and likely reflects uniquely intense interspecific competition in the East African carnivore guild. Our study shows how ecology can confound taxonomy if interspecific competition constrains size diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA; Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, 41A Sredniy Prospekt, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
| | - John Pollinger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, and Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s⁄n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 534, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline Robinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Amanda Lea
- Department of Biology, Duke University, PO Box 90388, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Sarah Hendricks
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter MS 3051, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Rena M Schweizer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Olaf Thalmann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Division of Genetics and Physiology, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Biology, University of Oulu, PO Box 3000, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Pedro Silva
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, and Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s⁄n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Zhenxin Fan
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology on Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Andrey A Yurchenko
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, 41A Sredniy Prospekt, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Pavel Dobrynin
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, 41A Sredniy Prospekt, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Alexey Makunin
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, 41A Sredniy Prospekt, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - James A Cahill
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Beth Shapiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, and Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s⁄n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - José C Brito
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, and Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s⁄n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Eli Geffen
- Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group (EBD-CSIC), Avenida Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Kristofer M Helgen
- Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, MRC 108, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
| | - Warren E Johnson
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Stephen J O'Brien
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, 41A Sredniy Prospekt, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia; Nova Southeastern University, Oceanographic Center, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL 33004 USA
| | - Blaire Van Valkenburgh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Robert K Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
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26
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Mohamad SW, Rayan DM, Christopher WCT, Hamirul M, Mohamed A, Lau CF, Siwan ES. The first description of population density and habitat use of the mainland clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa within a logged-primary forest in South East Asia. POPUL ECOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10144-015-0494-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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27
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Anile S, Devillard S. Study design and body mass influence RAIs from camera trap studies: evidence from the Felidae. Anim Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Anile
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale; Università di Catania; Catania Italy
| | - S. Devillard
- Université de Lyon; F-69000 Lyon France
- Université Lyon 1; F-69622 Villeurbanne France
- CNRS, UMR5558; Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive; F-69622 Villeurbanne France
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28
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McCarthy JL, Wibisono HT, McCarthy KP, Fuller TK, Andayani N. Assessing the distribution and habitat use of four felid species in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2014.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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29
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Is the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa extinct in Taiwan, and could it be reintroduced? An assessment of prey and habitat. ORYX 2014. [DOI: 10.1017/s003060531300063x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractDuring 1997–2012 we conducted a nationwide camera-trapping survey and assessed the availability of prey and habitat for the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Taiwan. We surveyed 1,249 camera-trap sites over 113,636 camera-trap days, from the seashore to an altitude of 3,796 m and covering various types of vegetation. No clouded leopards were photographed during 128,394 camera-trap days, including at 209 sites in other studies, confirming the presumed extinction of clouded leopards in Taiwan. Assessment of the prey base revealed altitudinal distribution patterns of prey species and prey biomass. Areas at lower altitudes and with less human encroachment and hunting supported a higher prey biomass and more of the typical prey species of clouded leopards. Habitat analysis revealed 8,523 km2 of suitable habitat but this was reduced to 6,734 km2 when adjacent areas of human encroachment were subtracted. In the absence of hunting and large mammalian carnivores the major prey of clouded leopards in Taiwan, such as Formosan macaques Macaca cyclopis, Reeves's muntjacs Muntiacus reevesi, Formosan serow Capricornis swinhoei and sambar Rusa unicolor, could become over-abundant. Thus, it is important to address the cascading effect of the disappearance of top-down predator control. Our assessment indicated that, with proper regulation of hunting, habitat restoration and corridor improvement, it may be possible to reintroduce the clouded leopard.
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Luo SJ, Zhang Y, Johnson WE, Miao L, Martelli P, Antunes A, Smith JLD, O'Brien SJ. Sympatric Asian felid phylogeography reveals a major Indochinese-Sundaic divergence. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:2072-92. [PMID: 24629132 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Revised: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The dynamic geological and climatological history of Southeast Asia has spawned a complex array of ecosystems and 12 of the 37 known cat species, making it the most felid-rich region in the world. To examine the evolutionary histories of these poorly studied fauna, we compared phylogeography of six species (leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, fishing cat P. viverrinus, Asiatic golden cat Pardofelis temminckii, marbled cat P. marmorata, tiger Panthera tigris and leopard P. pardus) by sequencing over 5 kb of DNA each from 445 specimens at multiple loci of mtDNA, Y and X chromosomes. All species except the leopard displayed significant phylogenetic partitions between Indochina and Sundaland, with the central Thai-Malay Peninsula serving as the biogeographic boundary. Concordant mtDNA and nuclear DNA genealogies revealed deep Indochinese-Sundaic divergences around 2 MYA in both P. bengalensis and P. marmorata comparable to previously described interspecific distances within Felidae. The divergence coincided with serial sea level rises during the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene, and was probably reinforced by repeated isolation events associated with environmental changes throughout the Pleistocene. Indochinese-Sundaic differentiations within P. tigris and P. temminckii were more recent at 72-108 and 250-1570 kya, respectively. Overall, these results illuminate unexpected, deep vicariance events in Southeast Asian felids and provide compelling evidence of species-level distinction between the Indochinese and Sundaic populations in the leopard cat and marbled cat. Broader sampling and further molecular and morphometric analyses of these species will be instrumental in defining conservation units and effectively preserving Southeast Asian biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Jin Luo
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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Wultsch C, Waits LP, Kelly MJ. Noninvasive individual and species identification of jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in Belize, Central America using cross-species microsatellites and faecal DNA. Mol Ecol Resour 2014; 14:1171-82. [DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Wultsch
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; 100 Cheatham Hall Blacksburg VA 24061 USA
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics; American Museum of Natural History; 79th Street at Central Park West New York NY 10024 USA
| | - Lisette P. Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; University of Idaho; 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1136 Moscow ID 83844 USA
| | - Marcella J. Kelly
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; 100 Cheatham Hall Blacksburg VA 24061 USA
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Eldridge MDB, Meek PD, Johnson RN. Taxonomic uncertainty and the loss of biodiversity on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2014; 28:572-579. [PMID: 24283832 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/15/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The taxonomic uniqueness of island populations is often uncertain which hinders effective prioritization for conservation. The Christmas Island shrew (Crocidura attenuata trichura) is the only member of the highly speciose eutherian family Soricidae recorded from Australia. It is currently classified as a subspecies of the Asian gray or long-tailed shrew (C. attenuata), although it was originally described as a subspecies of the southeast Asian white-toothed shrew (C. fuliginosa). The Christmas Island shrew is currently listed as endangered and has not been recorded in the wild since 1984-1985, when 2 specimens were collected after an 80-year absence. We aimed to obtain DNA sequence data for cytochrome b (cytb) from Christmas Island shrew museum specimens to determine their taxonomic affinities and to confirm the identity of the 1980s specimens. The Cytb sequences from 5, 1898 specimens and a 1985 specimen were identical. In addition, the Christmas Island shrew cytb sequence was divergent at the species level from all available Crocidura cytb sequences. Rather than a population of a widespread species, current evidence suggests the Christmas Island shrew is a critically endangered endemic species, C. trichura, and a high priority for conservation. As the decisions typically required to save declining species can be delayed or deferred if the taxonomic status of the population in question is uncertain, it is hoped that the history of the Christmas Island shrew will encourage the clarification of taxonomy to be seen as an important first step in initiating informed and effective conservation action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D B Eldridge
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 6 College St, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.
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O'Brien S, Koepfli KP. Evolution: A New Cat Species Emerges. Curr Biol 2013; 23:R1103-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Lovari S, Minder I, Ferretti F, Mucci N, Randi E, Pellizzi B. Common and snow leopards share prey, but not habitats: competition avoidance by large predators? J Zool (1987) 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Lovari
- Ev-K2-CNR; Bergamo Italy
- Department of Life Sciences; University of Siena; Siena Italy
- BIOCONNET, Biodiversity and Conservation Network; University of Siena; Siena Italy
| | - I. Minder
- Ev-K2-CNR; Bergamo Italy
- Department of Life Sciences; University of Siena; Siena Italy
- BIOCONNET, Biodiversity and Conservation Network; University of Siena; Siena Italy
| | - F. Ferretti
- Ev-K2-CNR; Bergamo Italy
- Department of Life Sciences; University of Siena; Siena Italy
- BIOCONNET, Biodiversity and Conservation Network; University of Siena; Siena Italy
| | - N. Mucci
- I.S.P.R.A.; Ozzano Emilia (BO) Italy
| | - E. Randi
- I.S.P.R.A.; Ozzano Emilia (BO) Italy
| | - B. Pellizzi
- Ev-K2-CNR; Bergamo Italy
- Department of Life Sciences; University of Siena; Siena Italy
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Birky CW. Species detection and identification in sexual organisms using population genetic theory and DNA sequences. PLoS One 2013; 8:e52544. [PMID: 23308113 PMCID: PMC3537722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 11/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic trees of DNA sequences of a group of specimens may include clades of two kinds: those produced by stochastic processes (random genetic drift) within a species, and clades that represent different species. The ratio of the mean pairwise sequence difference between a pair of clades (K) to the mean pairwise sequence difference within a clade (θ) can be used to determine whether the clades are samples from different species (K/θ ≥ 4) or the same species (K/θ<4) with probability ≥ 0.95. Previously I applied this criterion to delimit species of asexual organisms. Here I use data from the literature to show how it can also be applied to delimit sexual species using four groups of sexual organisms as examples: ravens, spotted leopards, sea butterflies, and liverworts. Mitochondrial or chloroplast genes are used because these segregate earlier during speciation than most nuclear genes and hence detect earlier stages of speciation. In several cases the K/θ ratio was greater than 4, confirming the original authors' intuition that the clades were sufficiently different to be assigned to different species. But the K/θ ratio split each of two liverwort species into two evolutionary species, and showed that support for the distinction between the common and Chihuahuan raven species is weak. I also discuss some possible sources of error in using the K/θ ratio; the most significant one would be cases where males migrate between different populations but females do not, making the use of maternally inherited organelle genes problematic. The K/θ ratio must be used with some caution, like all other methods for species delimitation. Nevertheless, it is a simple theory-based quantitative method for using DNA sequences to make rigorous decisions about species delimitation in sexual as well as asexual eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C William Birky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
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Species inflation and taxonomic artefacts—A critical comment on recent trends in mammalian classification. Mamm Biol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2012.07.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Perelman P, Beklemisheva V, Yudkin D, Petrina T, Rozhnov V, Nie W, Graphodatsky A. Comparative Chromosome Painting in Carnivora and Pholidota. Cytogenet Genome Res 2012; 137:174-93. [DOI: 10.1159/000341389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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Density of the Vulnerable Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi in a protected area in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. ORYX 2012. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605312000087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractPopulation density is an important parameter for monitoring and guiding conservation of small or threatened wildlife populations. Yet, despite the Vulnerable status of both species of clouded leopard Neofelis spp., and their disappearing tropical forest habitat, information on their population density is lacking from across their broad geographic ranges. Here we estimated population density of the Sunda clouded leopard N. diardi in the Maliau Basin Conservation Area in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, one of the first such estimates for either species of clouded leopard. With 25 camera-trap stations, each operated for at least 81 trap-nights, we obtained 59 detections of four individual Sunda clouded leopards in undisturbed primary rainforest but only a single detection in logged forest, despite similar sampling effort. Using spatially-explicit mark–recapture models, we estimated a density of 1.9 individuals per 100 km2 (95% confidence interval 0.7–5.4) for primary forest and 0.8 per 100 km2 (0.2–2.6) for the entire study area (including logged forest). These results will contribute to a better understanding of clouded leopard status and serve as a reference for future assessments of the species.
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Lohman DJ, de Bruyn M, Page T, von Rintelen K, Hall R, Ng PK, Shih HT, Carvalho GR, von Rintelen T. Biogeography of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2011. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-102710-145001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 331] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David J. Lohman
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10031;
| | - Mark de Bruyn
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW United Kingdom; ,
| | - Timothy Page
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia;
| | - Kristina von Rintelen
- Museum für Naturkunde—Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany; ,
| | - Robert Hall
- Southeast Asia Research Group, Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, United Kingdom;
| | - Peter K.L. Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences and Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546;
| | - Hsi-Te Shih
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan;
| | - Gary R. Carvalho
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW United Kingdom; ,
| | - Thomas von Rintelen
- Museum für Naturkunde—Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany; ,
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Wei L, Wu X, Zhu L, Jiang Z. Mitogenomic analysis of the genus Panthera. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2011; 54:917-30. [PMID: 22038004 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-011-4219-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2011] [Accepted: 06/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The complete sequences of the mitochondrial DNA genomes of Panthera tigris, Panthera pardus, and Panthera uncia were determined using the polymerase chain reaction method. The lengths of the complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of the three species were 16990, 16964, and 16773 bp, respectively. Each of the three mitochondrial DNA genomes included 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA, two rRNA, one O(L)R, and one control region. The structures of the genomes were highly similar to those of Felis catus, Acinonyx jubatus, and Neofelis nebulosa. The phylogenies of the genus Panthera were inferred from two combined mitochondrial sequence data sets and the complete mitochondrial genome sequences, by MP (maximum parsimony), ML (maximum likelihood), and Bayesian analysis. The results showed that Panthera was composed of Panthera leo, P. uncia, P. pardus, Panthera onca, P. tigris, and N. nebulosa, which was included as the most basal member. The phylogeny within Panthera genus was N. nebulosa (P. tigris (P. onca (P. pardus, (P. leo, P. uncia)))). The divergence times for Panthera genus were estimated based on the ML branch lengths and four well-established calibration points. The results showed that at about 11.3 MYA, the Panthera genus separated from other felid species and then evolved into the several species of the genus. In detail, N. nebulosa was estimated to be founded about 8.66 MYA, P. tigris about 6.55 MYA, P. uncia about 4.63 MYA, and P. pardus about 4.35 MYA. All these estimated times were older than those estimated from the fossil records. The divergence event, evolutionary process, speciation, and distribution pattern of P. uncia, a species endemic to the central Asia with core habitats on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and surrounding highlands, mostly correlated with the geological tectonic events and intensive climate shifts that happened at 8, 3.6, 2.5, and 1.7 MYA on the plateau during the late Cenozoic period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
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Hoffmann M, Belant JL, Chanson JS, Cox NA, Lamoreux J, Rodrigues ASL, Schipper J, Stuart SN. The changing fates of the world's mammals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2011; 366:2598-610. [PMID: 21844039 PMCID: PMC3140737 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent complete assessment of the conservation status of 5487 mammal species demonstrated that at least one-fifth are at risk of extinction in the wild. We retrospectively identified genuine changes in extinction risk for mammals between 1996 and 2008 to calculate changes in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Index (RLI). Species-level trends in the conservation status of mammalian diversity reveal that extinction risk in large-bodied species is increasing, and that the rate of deterioration has been most accelerated in the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. Expanding agriculture and hunting have been the main drivers of increased extinction risk in mammals. Site-based protection and management, legislation, and captive-breeding and reintroduction programmes have led to improvements in 24 species. We contextualize these changes, and explain why both deteriorations and improvements may be under-reported. Although this study highlights where conservation actions are leading to improvements, it fails to account for instances where conservation has prevented further deteriorations in the status of the world's mammals. The continued utility of the RLI is dependent on sustained investment to ensure repeated assessments of mammals over time and to facilitate future calculations of the RLI and measurement against global targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hoffmann
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland.
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Morino L. Clouded leopard predation on a wild juvenile siamang. Folia Primatol (Basel) 2011; 81:362-8. [PMID: 21454986 DOI: 10.1159/000324303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2010] [Accepted: 01/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
I report the first documented case of a wild siamang killed by a clouded leopard. The event, involving a juvenile male (weighing 3.7 kg), occurred at dawn, near a known sleeping tree in a lowland tropical forest in southern Sumatra (Indonesia). Examination of the siamang's body revealed that the first 2 cervical vertebrae were crushed and the face was partially eaten. This attack highlights the potential importance of predation as an evolutionary pressure for hylobatids, and poses some questions about the antipredator adaptations of this population of siamang.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Morino
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1414, USA.
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Tobe SS, Kitchener AC, Linacre AMT. Reconstructing mammalian phylogenies: a detailed comparison of the cytochrome B and cytochrome oxidase subunit I mitochondrial genes. PLoS One 2010; 5:e14156. [PMID: 21152400 PMCID: PMC2994770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2010] [Accepted: 11/05/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The phylogeny and taxonomy of mammalian species were originally based upon shared or derived morphological characteristics. However, genetic analyses have more recently played an increasingly important role in confirming existing or establishing often radically different mammalian groupings and phylogenies. The two most commonly used genetic loci in species identification are the cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) and the cytochrome b gene (cyt b). For the first time this study provides a detailed comparison of the effectiveness of these two loci in reconstructing the phylogeny of mammals at different levels of the taxonomic hierarchy in order to provide a basis for standardizing methodologies in the future. Interspecific and intraspecific variation is assessed and for the first time, to our knowledge, statistical confidence is applied to sequence comparisons. Comparison of the DNA sequences of 217 mammalian species reveals that cyt b more accurately reconstructs their phylogeny and known relationships between species based on other molecular and morphological analyses at Super Order, Order, Family and generic levels. Cyt b correctly assigned 95.85% of mammal species to Super Order, 94.31% to Order and 98.16% to Family compared to 78.34%, 93.36% and 96.93% respectively for COI. Cyt b also gives better resolution when separating species based on sequence data. Using a Kimura 2-parameter p-distance (x100) threshold of 1.5-2.5, cyt b gives a better resolution for separating species with a lower false positive rate and higher positive predictive value than those of COI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanan S Tobe
- Centre for Forensic Science, WestCHEM, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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Wilting A, Christiansen P, Kitchener AC, Kemp YJM, Ambu L, Fickel J. Geographical variation in and evolutionary history of the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) with the description of a new subspecies from Borneo. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2010; 58:317-28. [PMID: 21074625 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2010] [Revised: 10/19/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Recent morphological and molecular studies led to the recognition of two extant species of clouded leopards; Neofelis nebulosa from mainland southeast Asia and Neofelis diardi from the Sunda Islands of Borneo and Sumatra, including the Batu Islands. In addition to these new species-level distinctions, preliminary molecular data suggested a genetic substructure that separates Bornean and Sumatran clouded leopards, indicating the possibility of two subspecies of N. diardi. This suggestion was based on an analysis of only three Sumatran and seven Bornean individuals. Accordingly, in this study we re-evaluated this proposed subspecies differentiation using additional molecular (mainly historical) samples of eight Bornean and 13 Sumatran clouded leopards; a craniometric analysis of 28 specimens; and examination of pelage morphology of 20 museum specimens and of photographs of 12 wild camera-trapped animals. Molecular (mtDNA and microsatellite loci), craniomandibular and dental analyses strongly support the differentiation of Bornean and Sumatran clouded leopards, but pelage characteristics fail to separate them completely, most probably owing to small sample sizes, but it may also reflect habitat similarities between the two islands and their recent divergence. However, some provisional discriminating pelage characters are presented that need further testing. According to our estimates both populations diverged from each other during the Middle to Late Pleistocene (between 400 and 120 kyr). We present a discussion on the evolutionary history of Neofelis diardi sspp. on the Sunda Shelf, a revised taxonomy for the Sunda clouded leopard, N. diardi, and formally describe the Bornean subspecies, Neofelis diardi borneensis, including the designation of a holotype (BM.3.4.9.2 from Baram, Sarawak) in accordance with the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Wilting
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
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Lim HC, Rahman MA, Lim SLH, Moyle RG, Sheldon FH. Revisiting Wallace's haunt: coalescent simulations and comparative niche modeling reveal historical mechanisms that promoted avian population divergence in the Malay Archipelago. Evolution 2010; 65:321-34. [PMID: 20796023 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01105.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sundaland, a biogeographic region of Southeast Asia, is a major biodiversity hotspot. However, little is known about the relative importance of Pleistocene habitat barriers and rivers in structuring populations and promoting diversification here. We sampled 16 lowland rainforest bird species primarily from peninsular Malaysia and Borneo to test the long-standing hypothesis that animals on different Sundaic landmasses intermixed extensively when lower sea-levels during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) exposed land-bridges. This hypothesis was rejected in all but five species through coalescent simulations. Furthermore, we detected a range of phylogeographic patterns; Bornean populations are often genetically distinct from each other, despite their current habitat connectivity. Environmental niche modeling showed that the presence of unsuitable habitats between western and eastern Sundaland during the LGM coincided with deeper interpopulation genetic divergences. The location of this habitat barrier had been hypothesized previously based on other evidence. Paleo-riverine barriers are unlikely to have produced such a pattern, but we cannot rule out that they acted with habitat changes to impede population exchanges across the Sunda shelf. The distinctiveness of northeastern Borneo populations may be underlied by a combination of factors such as rivers, LGM expansion of montane forests and other aspects of regional physiography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haw Chuan Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
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Miller HC, Allendorf F, Daugherty CH. Genetic diversity and differentiation at MHC genes in island populations of tuatara (Sphenodon spp.). Mol Ecol 2010; 19:3894-908. [PMID: 20723045 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04771.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Neutral genetic markers are commonly used to understand the effects of fragmentation and population bottlenecks on genetic variation in threatened species. Although neutral markers are useful for inferring population history, the analysis of functional genes is required to determine the significance of any observed geographical differences in variation. The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are well-known examples of genes of adaptive significance and are particularly relevant to conservation because of their role in pathogen resistance. In this study, we survey diversity at MHC class I loci across a range of tuatara populations. We compare the levels of MHC variation with that observed at neutral microsatellite markers to determine the relative roles of balancing selection, diversifying selection and genetic drift in shaping patterns of MHC variation in isolated populations. In general, levels of MHC variation within tuatara populations are concordant with microsatellite variation. Tuatara populations are highly differentiated at MHC genes, particularly between the northern and Cook Strait regions, and a trend towards diversifying selection across populations was observed. However, overall our results indicate that population bottlenecks and isolation have a larger influence on patterns of MHC variation in tuatara populations than selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary C Miller
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
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Davis BW, Li G, Murphy WJ. Supermatrix and species tree methods resolve phylogenetic relationships within the big cats, Panthera (Carnivora: Felidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2010; 56:64-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2009] [Revised: 01/28/2010] [Accepted: 01/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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MORALES MIRIAMM, GIANNINI NORBERTOP. Morphofunctional patterns in Neotropical felids: species co-existence and historical assembly. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01461.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Grahn RA, Kurushima JD, Billings NC, Grahn JC, Halverson JL, Hammer E, Ho CK, Kun TJ, Levy JK, Lipinski MJ, Mwenda JM, Ozpinar H, Schuster RK, Shoorijeh SJ, Tarditi CR, Waly NE, Wictum EJ, Lyons LA. Feline non-repetitive mitochondrial DNA control region database for forensic evidence. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2010; 5:33-42. [PMID: 20457082 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2010.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2009] [Revised: 01/08/2010] [Accepted: 01/20/2010] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The domestic cat is the one of the most popular pets throughout the world. A by-product of owning, interacting with, or being in a household with a cat is the transfer of shed fur to clothing or personal objects. As trace evidence, transferred cat fur is a relatively untapped resource for forensic scientists. Both phenotypic and genotypic characteristics can be obtained from cat fur, but databases for neither aspect exist. Because cats incessantly groom, cat fur may have nucleated cells, not only in the hair bulb, but also as epithelial cells on the hair shaft deposited during the grooming process, thereby generally providing material for DNA profiling. To effectively exploit cat hair as a resource, representative databases must be established. The current study evaluates 402 bp of the mtDNA control region (CR) from 1394 cats, including cats from 25 distinct worldwide populations and 26 breeds. Eighty-three percent of the cats are represented by 12 major mitotypes. An additional 8.0% are clearly derived from the major mitotypes. Unique sequences are found in 7.5% of the cats. The overall genetic diversity for this data set is 0.8813±0.0046 with a random match probability of 11.8%. This region of the cat mtDNA has discriminatory power suitable for forensic application worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Grahn
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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