TY - JOUR
T1 - Testing for hybridization and assessing genetic diversity in Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) populations from central Veracruz
AU - González-Trujillo, Ricardo
AU - Rodriguez, David
AU - González-Romero, Alberto
AU - Forstner, Michael R.J.
AU - Densmore, Llewellyn D.
AU - Reynoso, Víctor Hugo
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Among the loss of genetic diversity due to population declines, population fragmentation and habitat loss, hybridization also stands as a threat to Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) populations. Genetic surveys in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula have detected evidence of hybridization with the American crocodile (C. acutus). Admixture between these two species is most likely driven by human-mediated translocations. Along the central gulf coast of Mexico, C. moreletii populations are presumed to be purebred. To test this, we use nine microsatellite loci and sequence data from the mitochondrial control region to detect if C. acutus alleles have introgressed into populations of C. moreletii from central Veracruz. In 2010, C. moreletii was transferred from Appendix I to II of CITES based on a whole species demographic analysis, which indicated that populations had recovered across its range. Our study shows that populations in central Veracruz are purebred, although they exhibit low levels of genetic diversity most likely caused by inbreeding. Our data also suggest there is fragmentation among populations of C. moreletii, which may lead to further loss of genetic variation. Due the purity and low genetic diversity of C. moreletii populations from central Veracruz, we recommend increased protection and active management practices that take genetic data into account.
AB - Among the loss of genetic diversity due to population declines, population fragmentation and habitat loss, hybridization also stands as a threat to Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) populations. Genetic surveys in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula have detected evidence of hybridization with the American crocodile (C. acutus). Admixture between these two species is most likely driven by human-mediated translocations. Along the central gulf coast of Mexico, C. moreletii populations are presumed to be purebred. To test this, we use nine microsatellite loci and sequence data from the mitochondrial control region to detect if C. acutus alleles have introgressed into populations of C. moreletii from central Veracruz. In 2010, C. moreletii was transferred from Appendix I to II of CITES based on a whole species demographic analysis, which indicated that populations had recovered across its range. Our study shows that populations in central Veracruz are purebred, although they exhibit low levels of genetic diversity most likely caused by inbreeding. Our data also suggest there is fragmentation among populations of C. moreletii, which may lead to further loss of genetic variation. Due the purity and low genetic diversity of C. moreletii populations from central Veracruz, we recommend increased protection and active management practices that take genetic data into account.
KW - Genetic diversity
KW - Hybridization
KW - Introgression
KW - Mexico
KW - Microsatellites
KW - Morelet's crocodile
KW - mtDNA
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868595510&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10592-012-0406-2
DO - 10.1007/s10592-012-0406-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84868595510
VL - 13
SP - 1677
EP - 1683
JO - Conservation Genetics
JF - Conservation Genetics
SN - 1566-0621
IS - 6
ER -