Two reciprocally monophyletic mtDNA lineages elucidate the taxonomic status of Mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) |
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| Authors: | Torsten Wronski Timothy Wacher Robert L. Hammond Bruce Winney Kris J. Hundertmark Mark J. Blacket |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Zoological Society of London, Conservation Programmes , Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK;2. King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development , P.O. Box 61681, Riyadh, 11575, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;3. King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre, National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development , P.O. Box 61681, Riyadh, 11575, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;4. Department of Biological Sciences , University of Hull , Cottingham Road, Kingston upon Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK;5. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Old Road Campus Research Building , University of Oxford , Old Road Campus, Off Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK;6. Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA;7. Department of Zoology , University of Melbourne , Parkville, 3010, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) rank among the most critically endangered mammals on the Arabian Peninsula. 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 has 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 (360 bp cytochrome b and 213 bp Control Region) of 126 individuals collected from the wild throughout the Arabian Peninsula and from captive stocks. Our analyses revealed two reciprocally monophyletic genetic lineages within the presumed species Gazella gazella: one ‘northern clade’ on the Golan Heights (Israel/Syrian border) and one genetically diverse larger clade from the rest of the Arabian Peninsula including the Arava Valley (Negev, Israel). Applying the Strict Phylogenetic Species Concept (sensu Mishler & Theriot, 2000 Mishler, B. D. and Theriot, E. C. 2000. “The phylogenetic species concept (sensu Mishler and Theriot): monophyly, apomorphy, and phylogenetic species concepts”. In Species Concepts and Phylogenetic Theory. A Debate, Edited by: Wheeler, Q. D. and Meier, R. 44–54. Columbia University Press, NY. [Google Scholar]) allows assigning species status to these two major clades. |
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| Keywords: | Arabian Peninsula conservation units captive breeding Gazella gazella |
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