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Genetic subdivision, glacial refugia and postglacial recolonization in the golden‐striped salamander, Chioglossa lusitanica (Amphibia: Urodela)
Author(s) -
Alexandrino J.,
Froufe E.,
Arntzen J. W.,
Ferrand N.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.00931.x
Subject(s) - biology , range (aeronautics) , salamander , ecology , pleistocene , refugium (fishkeeping) , phylogeography , genetic variation , genetic structure , mitochondrial dna , genetic diversity , glacial period , mtdna control region , gene flow , zoology , habitat , haplotype , population , phylogenetics , paleontology , allele , genetics , demography , sociology , gene , composite material , materials science
The golden‐striped salamander ( Chioglossa lusitanica ) is an ecologically specialized species, endemic to north‐western Iberia. Patterns of genetic variation were assessed at seven polymorphic enzyme loci and one mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker (cytochrome b ) in 17 populations across its range. Estimates of enzyme genetic diversity revealed a high degree of genetic subdivision ( F ST = 0.68), mainly attributable to the existence of two groups of populations. The groups were located, respectively, north and south of the Mondego River, indicating that this river coincided with a major historical barrier to gene flow. A significant decrease in genetic variability from the Mondego northwards was associated with the Douro and Minho rivers. mtDNA sequence variation revealed a congruent pattern of two haplotype groups ( d = 2.2%), with a geographical distribution resembling that of allozymes. The pattern and depth of genetic variation is consistent with the following hypotheses: (i) subdivision of an ancestral range of the species prior to the middle Pleistocene; (ii) secondary contact between populations representing historical refugia; (iii) relatively recent range expansion giving rise to the northern part of the species range; and (iv) loss of genetic variation through founder effects during range expansion across major rivers.