Open AccessEvidence of a complex phylogeographic structure in the common dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius (Rodentia: Gliridae)
Author(s) -
MOUTON ALICE,
GRILL ANDREA,
SARA MAURIZIO,
KRYŠTUFEK BORIS,
RANDI ETTORE,
AMORI GIOVANNI,
JUŠKAITIS RIMVYDAS,
ALOISE GAETANO,
MORTELLITI ALESSIO,
PANCHETTI FABIANA,
MICHAUX JOHAN
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
biological journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.906
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1095-8312
pISSN - 0024-4066
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01807.x
Subject(s) - biology , phylogeography , lineage (genetic) , cytochrome b , genetic structure , range (aeronautics) , genetic diversity , zoology , mitochondrial dna , evolutionary biology , population , phylogenetics , genetic variation , genetics , gene , demography , materials science , sociology , composite material
This is the first mitochondrial phylogeography of the common dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius (Linnaeus, 1758), a hibernating rodent strictly protected in Europe (Habitat Directive, annex IV; Bern Convention, annex III). The 84 individuals of M. avellanarius , sampled throughout the distributional range of the species, have been sequenced at the mitochondrial DNA gene (cytochrome b , 704 base pairs). The results revealed two highly divergent lineages, with an ancient separation around 7.7 Mya and a genetic divergence of 7.7%. Lineage 1 occurs in Western Europe (France, Belgium, and Switzerland) and Italy, and lineage 2 occurs in Central–Northern Europe (Poland, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania), on the Balkan Peninsula, and in Turkey. Furthermore, these two lineages are subdivided into five sublineages genetically isolated with a strong geographical association. Therefore, lineage 1 branches into two further sublineages (Western European and Italian), whereas lineage 2 contained three sublineages (Central–Northern European, Turkish, and Balkan). We observed low genetic diversity within the sublineages, in contrast to the significant level of genetic differentiation between them. The understanding of genetic population structure is essential for identifying units to be conserved. Therefore, these results may have important implications for M. avellanarius conservation. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2012, 105 , 648–664.