Journal Article

Phylogeography, mitochondrial DNA diversity, and demographic history of geladas (Theropithecus gelada)

Moges, Amera, Knauf, Sascha, Dolotovskaya, Sofya, Mekonnen, Addisu, Beehner, Jacinta C., Stenseth, Nils Chr, Roos, Christian, Fashing, Peter J., Bergman, Thore J., Bekele, Afework, Burke, Ryan, Zinner, Dietmar, Knauf, Yvonne, Atickem, Anagaw, Gippoliti, Spartaco, Nguyen, Nga

2018

Overview

The large-bodied, terrestrial primates in the tribe Papionini are among the most intensely studied animals in the world, yet for some members of this tribe we know comparatively little about their evolutionary history and phylogeography. Geladas (Theropithecus gelada Rüppell, 1835), endemic primates of the Ethiopian highlands, are largely unstudied both in genetic diversity and intrageneric phylogeny. Currently, a northern and central subspecies and one isolated southern population are recognized, of which the central is classified as Least Concern, the northern as Vulnerable, and the southern is not yet assessed. The distribution and taxonomy of the subspecies remain poorly defined. Here, we estimate the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity and phylogenetic relationships among gelada mtDNA lineages based on samples across the entire species range. We analysed 1.7 kb-long sequences of the mtDNA genome, spanning the cytochrome b gene and the hypervariable region I of the D-loop, derived from 162 faecal samples. We detected five major haplogroups or clades (south, central-1, central-2, north-1, north-2) which diverged between 0.67 and 0.43 million years ago, thus suggesting a rapid radiation, resulting in largely unresolved intrageneric phylogenetic relationships. Both, the northern and central demes contain two similarly valid haplogroups, each with little or no geographic segregation among respective haplogroups. Effective population sizes of the northern and central demes decreased during and after the last glacial maximum but remained stable for the southern deme, although on a very low level. The distribution of haplogroups within the geographic ranges of the putative gelada subspecies indicates that mtDNA sequence information does not allow reliable taxonomic inferences and thus is not sufficient for solving the taxonomic rank of the three demic populations, with the possible exception of the southern population. Nevertheless, due to the genetic differences all three populations deserve conservation efforts, in particular the smallest southern population.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Analysis / Animal cognition / Animal Distribution / Animals / Biogeography / Biological Evolution / Biology / Biology and Life Sciences / Computer and Information Sciences / Conservation / Cytochrome / Cytochrome b / Cytochromes / Cytochromes b - genetics / Demographics / Deoxyribonucleic acid / DNA / DNA, Mitochondrial / Earth Sciences / Ecology and Environmental Sciences / Endangered & extinct species / Environmental studies / Evolution / Evolutionary genetics / Female / Gelada / Gene sequencing / Genetic diversity / Genetic Variation / Genetics / Genomes / Geographical distribution / Haplotypes / Health aspects / Laboratories / Last Glacial Maximum / Low level / Mitochondrial DNA / Monkeys & apes / Papio - genetics / Phylogenetics / Phylogeny / Phylogeography / Population / Population Density / Population genetics / Populations / Primates / Protection and preservation / Radiation / Taxonomy / Terrestrial environments / Theropithecus - genetics / Theropithecus gelada / Tropical diseases / Zoology