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Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences reveals polyphyly in the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa)

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Abstract

Goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) rank among the most endangered mammals on the Arabian Peninsula and the Asian steppes. Past conservation efforts have been plagued by confusion about the phylogenetic relationship among various—phenotypically discernable—populations, and even the question of species boundaries was far from being certain. This lack of knowledge had a direct impact on conservation measures, especially ex situ breeding programmes, hampering the assignment of captive stocks to potential conservation units. Here, we provide a phylogenetic framework, based on the analysis of mtDNA sequences of a number of individuals collected from the wild and captivity throughout the species’ natural range. Our analyses revealed a polyphyly within the presumed species of G. subgutturosa resulting in two distinct clades: one on the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Turkey (Gazella marica; sand gazelle) and one genetically diverse larger clade from the rest of its Asian range (G. subgutturosa; goitred gazelle). Additionally, we provide a quick method (PCR-RFLP) to analyse the taxonomic affiliation of captive gazelles that will be used for re-introductions into the wild.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank H. H. Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Mohammed al Saud (Secretary General, Saudi Wildlife Commission) for his permission and support to conduct scientific research on wildlife in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are greatly indebted to Richard Kock (Zoological Society of London), Thomas M. Butynski and Ernest Robinson (King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre) for the support and encouragement rendered to our study. Finally, we would like to thank all colleagues who have helped gathering material from all over the Middle East (Table 1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Conservation Programmes, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK

    Timothy Wacher, Torsten Wronski, Robert L. Hammond, Bruce Winney, Mark J. Blacket, Kris J. Hundertmark, Osama B. Mohammed, Sawsan A. Omer & William Macasero

  2. King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre, Saudi Wildlife Commission, PO Box 61681, Riyadh, 11575, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Timothy Wacher, Torsten Wronski, Robert L. Hammond, Bruce Winney, Mark J. Blacket, Kris J. Hundertmark, Osama B. Mohammed, Sawsan A. Omer & William Macasero

  3. Department of Biology, University of Leicester, Adrian Building, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    Robert L. Hammond

  4. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Old Road Campus Research Building, Off Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK

    Bruce Winney

  5. Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Mark J. Blacket

  6. Department of Biology and Wildlife, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA

    Kris J. Hundertmark

  7. Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Osama B. Mohammed & Sawsan A. Omer

  8. Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70-72, 60054, Frankfurt/M, Germany

    Hannes Lerp & Martin Plath

  9. Institute for Biology II, Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, University of Leipzig, Talstr. 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Christoph Bleidorn

Authors
  1. Timothy Wacher
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  2. Torsten Wronski
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  3. Robert L. Hammond
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  4. Bruce Winney
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  5. Mark J. Blacket
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  6. Kris J. Hundertmark
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  7. Osama B. Mohammed
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  8. Sawsan A. Omer
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  9. William Macasero
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  10. Hannes Lerp
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  11. Martin Plath
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  12. Christoph Bleidorn
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Torsten Wronski.

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Wacher, T., Wronski, T., Hammond, R.L. et al. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences reveals polyphyly in the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa). Conserv Genet 12, 827–831 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-010-0169-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-010-0169-6

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