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Phylogeography of the Alpine salamander, Salamandra atra (Salamandridae) and the influence of the Pleistocene climatic oscillations on population divergence
Author(s) -
Riberon A.,
Miaud C.,
Grossenbacher K.,
Taberlet P.
Publication year - 2001
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.2001.01373.x
Subject(s) - biology , salamandra , phylogeography , salamander , mitochondrial dna , salamandridae , subspecies , range (aeronautics) , pleistocene , genetic divergence , population , evolutionary biology , ecology , divergence (linguistics) , zoology , phylogenetics , caudata , genetics , genetic diversity , paleontology , gene , materials science , demography , linguistics , philosophy , sociology , composite material
Fifty individuals of the endemic Alpine salamander, Salamandra atra , representing 13 populations throughout the range of the two currently recognized subspecies, atra and aurorae , were examined for sequence variation in a large portion (1050 bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. We revealed a large number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes (10). Interpopulation sequence divergence was very low, ranging from 0 to 3.1%. The relationships among haplotypes were poorly resolved. The divergence time estimate between several mtDNA haplotypes suggested a pre‐Pleistocene differentiation approximately 3 million years ago. Moreover, the impact of the Pleistocene glaciations on the phylogeographical patterns appears to have been secondary, although a somewhat reduced genetic variability was found in populations living in areas that were directly affected by the glaciation.