@article {25260, title = {Genetic Structure and Phylogeography of the Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) Inferred from Mitochondrial Genomes.}, journal = {J Hered}, volume = {108}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 06 01}, pages = {349-360}, abstract = {

The Leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis is a habitat generalist that is widely distributed across Southeast Asia. Based on morphological traits, this species has been subdivided into 12 subspecies. Thus far, there have been few molecular studies investigating intraspecific variation, and those had been limited in geographic scope. For this reason, we aimed to study the genetic structure and evolutionary history of this species across its very large distribution range in Asia. We employed both PCR-based (short mtDNA fragments, 94 samples) and high throughput sequencing based methods (whole mitochondrial genomes, 52 samples) on archival, noninvasively collected and fresh samples to investigate the distribution of intraspecific genetic variation. Our comprehensive sampling coupled with the improved resolution of a mitochondrial genome analyses provided strong support for a deep split between Mainland and Sundaic Leopard cats. Although we identified multiple haplogroups within the species{\textquoteright} distribution, we found no matrilineal evidence for the distinction of 12 subspecies. In the context of Leopard cat biogeography, we cautiously recommend a revision of the Prionailurus bengalensis subspecific taxonomy: namely, a reduction to 4 subspecies (2 mainland and 2 Sundaic forms).

}, keywords = {Animals, Asia, Southeastern, Biological Evolution, Cytochromes b, DNA, Mitochondrial, Felidae, Genetic Variation, Genetics, Population, Genome, Mitochondrial, Haplotypes, Phylogeography, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1465-7333}, doi = {10.1093/jhered/esx017}, author = {Patel, Riddhi P and Wutke, Saskia and Lenz, Dorina and Mukherjee, Shomita and Ramakrishnan, Uma and Veron, G{\'e}raldine and Fickel, J{\"o}rns and Wilting, Andreas and F{\"o}rster, Daniel W} } @article {26575, title = {Non-sister Sri Lankan white-eyes (genus Zosterops) are a result of independent colonizations.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {12}, year = {2017}, month = {2017}, pages = {e0181441}, abstract = {

Co-occurrence of closely related taxa on islands could be attributed to sympatric speciation or multiple colonization. Sympatric speciation is considered to be rare in small islands, however multiple colonizations are known to be common in both oceanic and continental islands. In this study we investigated the phylogenetic relatedness and means of origin of the two sympatrically co-occurring Zosterops white-eyes, the endemic Zosterops ceylonensis and its widespread regional congener Z. palpebrosus, in the island of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a continental island in the Indian continental shelf of the Northern Indian Ocean. Our multivariate morphometric analyses confirmed the phenotypic distinctness of the two species. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses with ~2000bp from two mitochondrial (ND2 and ND3) and one nuclear (TGF) gene indicated that they are phylogenetically distinct, and not sister to each other. The two subspecies of the peninsula India; Z. p. egregius of Sri Lanka and India and Z. p. nilgiriensis of Western Ghats (India) clustered within the Z. palpebrosus clade having a common ancestor. In contrast, the divergence of the endemic Z. ceylonensis appears to be much deeper and is basal to the other Zosterops white-eyes. Therefore we conclude that the two Zosterops species originated in the island through independent colonizations from different ancestral lineages, and not through island speciation or multiple colonization from the same continental ancestral population. Despite high endemism, Sri Lankan biodiversity is long considered to be a subset of southern India. This study on a speciose group with high dispersal ability and rapid diversification rate provide evidence for the contribution of multiple colonizations in shaping Sri Lanka{\textquoteright}s biodiversity. It also highlights the complex biogeographic patterns of the South Asian region, reflected even in highly vagile groups such as birds.

}, keywords = {Animals, Bayes Theorem, Biodiversity, DNA, Mitochondrial, Evolution, Molecular, Genetic Speciation, Geography, Passeriformes, Phylogeny, Sri Lanka, Sympatry}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0181441}, author = {Wickramasinghe, Nelum and Robin, V V and Ramakrishnan, Uma and Reddy, Sushma and Seneviratne, Sampath S} } @article {894, title = {Quaternary climate change and social behavior shaped the genetic differentiation of an endangered montane primate from the southern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.}, journal = {Am J Primatol}, volume = {77}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Mar}, pages = {271-84}, abstract = {

Multiple factors, including climate change, dispersal barriers, and social behavior influence the genetic structure of natural populations. While the effects of extrinsic factors such as historical climatic change and habitat topography have been well studied, mostly in temperate habitats, the simultaneous effects of intrinsic factors such as social behavior on genetic structure have rarely been explored. Such simultaneous effect, however, may particularly be common in social mammals such as many primates. Consequently, we studied the population structure of a rare and endangered social primate, the Arunachal macaque Macaca munzala, endemic to the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, located on the subtropical southern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and forming part of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. We studied a 534 bp-long mitochondrial DNA sequence and 22 autosomal microsatellite loci in individuals from three populations, Tawang, Upper Subansiri, and West Siang. The mtDNA data revealed three major divergence events: that between the Arunachal and bonnet macaques (ca. 1.61 mya), the founding of the West Siang population and the ancestral population of the present-day bonnet macaques (ca. 1.32 mya), and the divergence between the Tawang and Upper Subansiri populations (ca. 0.80 mya) that coincided with the major glacial events in the region. Comparing mitochondrial DNA with autosomal microsatellites, we also found evidence for female philopatry and male-driven long-distance gene flow. Arunachal macaques thus appear to be characterized by groups of philopatric females separated by geographical barriers and harsh climate but with dispersing males exerting a homogenizing effect on the nuclear gene pool. Given that severe population differentiation is of major concern in species conservation, we suggest that our study populations represent significant conservation units of this rare, endangered primate but, more importantly, emphasize the complex interplay of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in shaping the population structure of a social mammalian species.

}, keywords = {Animals, Behavior, Animal, Climate Change, DNA, Mitochondrial, Ecosystem, Evolution, Molecular, Female, Gene Flow, Genetics, Population, India, Macaca, Male, Microsatellite Repeats, Phylogeography, Population Dynamics, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Social Behavior}, issn = {1098-2345}, doi = {10.1002/ajp.22343}, author = {Chakraborty, Debapriyo and Ramakrishnan, Uma and Sinha, Anindya} }