Aardwolf population diversity and phylogenetic positioning inferred using complete mitochondrial genomes
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Standard
Aardwolf population diversity and phylogenetic positioning inferred using complete mitochondrial genomes. / Westbury, Michael V.; De Cahsan, Binia; Dalerum, Fredrik; Noren, Karin; Hofreiter, Michael.
In: African Journal of Wildlife Research, Vol. 49, No. 1, 2019, p. 27-33.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Author
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Aardwolf population diversity and phylogenetic positioning inferred using complete mitochondrial genomes
AU - Westbury, Michael V.
AU - De Cahsan, Binia
AU - Dalerum, Fredrik
AU - Noren, Karin
AU - Hofreiter, Michael
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a unique. insectivorous species of the family Hyaenidae. It occupies a disjunct range in eastern and southern Africa and is possibly a remaining member of a historical dog-like hyaena Glade. Although both local and global population status and trends are largely unknown, aardwolves are not uncommon in arid grasslands and the IUCN conservation status of Least Concern appears to be justified. However, they are one of the least studied of the four hyaena species, and we have scarce information about the genetic structure of aardwolf populations. Here, we present the first complete aardwolf mitochondrial genomes and provide novel information about aardwolf evolutionary origins and genetic structure within a single population. Through the investigation of complete mitochondrial genomes from five individuals from a single population within South Africa, we find the mitochondrial diversity of this population to be neither particularly high nor low compared to a number of other mammalian species. Moreover, we also provide additional evidence towards the basal position of the aardwolf within Hyaenidae with a divergence time of 13.0 Ma (95% CI 10.1-16.4 Ma) from all other extant hyaena species.
AB - The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a unique. insectivorous species of the family Hyaenidae. It occupies a disjunct range in eastern and southern Africa and is possibly a remaining member of a historical dog-like hyaena Glade. Although both local and global population status and trends are largely unknown, aardwolves are not uncommon in arid grasslands and the IUCN conservation status of Least Concern appears to be justified. However, they are one of the least studied of the four hyaena species, and we have scarce information about the genetic structure of aardwolf populations. Here, we present the first complete aardwolf mitochondrial genomes and provide novel information about aardwolf evolutionary origins and genetic structure within a single population. Through the investigation of complete mitochondrial genomes from five individuals from a single population within South Africa, we find the mitochondrial diversity of this population to be neither particularly high nor low compared to a number of other mammalian species. Moreover, we also provide additional evidence towards the basal position of the aardwolf within Hyaenidae with a divergence time of 13.0 Ma (95% CI 10.1-16.4 Ma) from all other extant hyaena species.
KW - mitochondria
KW - aardwolf
KW - hyaena
KW - genetic diversity
KW - phylogenetics
KW - ALIGNMENT
U2 - 10.3957/056.049.0027
DO - 10.3957/056.049.0027
M3 - Journal article
VL - 49
SP - 27
EP - 33
JO - South African Journal of Wildlife Research
JF - South African Journal of Wildlife Research
SN - 0379-4369
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 247338893