TY - JOUR

T1 - Mitogenomics of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) reveals dramatic loss of diversity and supports historical gene-flow between Atlantic and eastern Mediterranean populations

AU - Rey-Iglesia, Alba

AU - Gaubert, Philippe

AU - Themudo, Goncalo Espregueira

AU - Pires, Rosa

AU - de la Fuente, Constanza

AU - Freitas, Luis

AU - Aguilar, Alex

AU - Borrell, Asuncion

AU - Krakhmalnaya, Tatiana

AU - Vasconcelos, Raquel

AU - Campos, Paula F.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus is one of the most threatened marine mammals, with only 600-700 individuals restricted to three populations off the coast of Western Sahara and Madeira (North Atlantic) and between Greece and Turkey (eastern Mediterranean). Its original range was from the Black Sea (eastern Mediterranean) to Gambia (western African coast), but was drastically reduced by commercial hunting and human persecution since the early stages of marine exploitation.We here analyse 42 mitogenomes of Mediterranean monk seals, from across their present and historical geographic ranges to assess the species population dynamics over time. Our data show a decrease in genetic diversity in the last 200 years. Extant individuals presented an almost four-fold reduction in genetic diversity when compared to historical specimens. We also detect, for the first time, a clear segregation between the two North Atlantic populations, Madeira and Cabo Blanco, regardless of their geographical proximity. Moreover, we show the presence of historical gene-flow between the two water basins, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and the presence of at least one extinct maternal lineage in the Mediterranean. Our work demonstrates the advantages of using full mitogenomes in phylogeographic and conservation genomic studies of threatened species.

AB - The Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus is one of the most threatened marine mammals, with only 600-700 individuals restricted to three populations off the coast of Western Sahara and Madeira (North Atlantic) and between Greece and Turkey (eastern Mediterranean). Its original range was from the Black Sea (eastern Mediterranean) to Gambia (western African coast), but was drastically reduced by commercial hunting and human persecution since the early stages of marine exploitation.We here analyse 42 mitogenomes of Mediterranean monk seals, from across their present and historical geographic ranges to assess the species population dynamics over time. Our data show a decrease in genetic diversity in the last 200 years. Extant individuals presented an almost four-fold reduction in genetic diversity when compared to historical specimens. We also detect, for the first time, a clear segregation between the two North Atlantic populations, Madeira and Cabo Blanco, regardless of their geographical proximity. Moreover, we show the presence of historical gene-flow between the two water basins, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and the presence of at least one extinct maternal lineage in the Mediterranean. Our work demonstrates the advantages of using full mitogenomes in phylogeographic and conservation genomic studies of threatened species.

KW - ancient DNA

KW - conservation genetics

KW - endangered species

KW - exploitation

KW - marine mammal

KW - phylogeography

KW - pinniped

U2 - 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa084

DO - 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa084

M3 - Journal article

VL - 191

SP - 1147

EP - 1159

JO - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

JF - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

SN - 0024-4082

IS - 4

ER -