Open AccessGenetic Diversity and Population Demography of the Chinese Crocodile Lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) in China
Author(s) -
Huayuan Huang,
Hui Wang,
Linmiao Li,
Zhengjun Wu,
Jinping Chen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0091570
Subject(s) - biology , genetic diversity , phylogeography , critically endangered , endangered species , zoology , population , microsatellite , crocodile , genetic structure , conservation genetics , ecology , mitochondrial dna , genetic divergence , habitat , phylogenetic tree , genetics , demography , allele , sociology , gene
The Chinese crocodile lizard Shinisaurus crocodilurus is a critically endangered species, listed in Appendix II of CITES. Its populations and habitat in China have undergone significant changes in recent years. Understanding the genetic variability and phylogeography of this species is very important for successful conservation. In this study, samples were taken from 11 wild ponds and two captive populations in China. We sequenced mitochondrial CYTB, partial ND6, and partial tRNA-Glu and genotyped 10 microsatellite loci. Our analyses of these data showed low genetic variability, no strong isolation caused by distance, and a lack of a phylogeographic structure in this species. Based on our results, the basal divergence between two clades of S. crocodilurus in China may have been caused by the formation of the Pearl River system. We found a population expansion in one of these clades. Microsatellite analysis indicated the presence of three clusters, separated by significant genetic differences. We found that most individuals in the two captive populations were from the Luokeng (Guangdong) and Guangxi wild source populations, respectively.