Comparative phylogeography of two African carnivorans presumably introduced into Europe: disentangling natural versus human-mediated dispersal across the Strait of Gibraltar

Abstract

Aim Natural processes of colonization and human-mediated introductions have shaped current patterns of biodiversity in the Mediterranean Basin. We use a comparative phylogeographic approach to investigate the genetic structure of Herpestes ichneumon and Genetta genetta (Carnivora) across the Strait of Gibraltar, and test for their supposedly contemporaneous introduction into Iberia.Location Mediterranean Basin and Africa.Methods We sequenced two mitochondrial fragments (cytochrome b and control region) of 91 (H. ichneumon) and 185 (G. genetta) individuals, including the sole archaeological record of G. genetta in Iberia, dating from the Muslim occupation. We used phylogenetic and tokogenetic methods, summary statistics, neutrality tests, geographic-genetic pairwise comparisons and coalescent estimates to explore the history of the two species in the Mediterranean Basin. ResultsIn North Africa, an autochthonous (Clade I) and a western African mtDNA clade, coalescing in the Middle to Late Pleistocene, co-occurred in both species. Only Clade I was present in Europe. In H. ichneumon, the European pool showed deep coalescence (median = 335 kyr) and high genetic differentiation and diversity compared with its North African counterpart, suggesting long-term stability of female effective population size. In sharp contrast, G. genetta in Europe exhibited lower genetic diversity, weak differentiation with North Africa and recent demographic expansion; however, Andalusia and Catalonia (Spain) showed distinctly higher genetic diversity, and the archaeological specimen had the predominant European haplotype. Main conclusionsThe co-occurrence of autochthonous and sub-Saharan lineages in North Africa (1) supports a new, emerging biogeographic scenario in North Africa, and (2) suggests a connection through the Sahara, possibly from the Middle Pleistocene onwards. Our results refute the idea that H. ichneumon was introduced into Europe contemporaneously with G. genetta. Instead, they support a scenario of sweepstake dispersal during Late Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations, followed by long-term in situ evolution throughout the last glaciation cycles. Genetta genetta appears to have undergone a recent spread from at least two independent introduction '

The uncertainty of Late Pleistocene range expansions in the western Mediterranean: a case study of the colonization of south‐eastern Spain by the spur‐thighed tortoise, Testudo graeca

“…Their status as 'historically introduced species' was a consequence of their cultural linkage to historical civilizations, having their main ranges in Africa and the lack of any fossil record in Europe. However, although these species share the same genetic pattern of low mitochondrial differentiation across both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar and lower genetic variation in the Iberian populations, two alternative prehistoric scenarios could be responsible for the current pattern (Paulo et al, 2002;Gaubert et al, 2010). 1.…”

Who lives where? Molecular and morphometric analyses clarify which Unio species (Unionida, Mollusca) inhabit the southwestern Palearctic

“…These patterns range from similar genetic lineages between northern Maghreb populations and those from Iberia (e.g. Schmitt et al 2006;Carranza et al 2006;Gaubert et al 2010) to strong genetic splits (e.g. Steinfartz et al 2000;García-París et al 2003;Fonseca et al 2009;Miraldo et al 2011).…”

Distribución del meloncillo (Herpestes ichneumon) en la provincia de Granada

“…Otros estudios han constatado sin embargo, que las poblaciones ibéricas de meloncillo son genéticamente diferentes a las africanas y presentan una diversidad genética muy baja, planteando la posibilidad de un origen natural de la especie en Europa, mediante una dispersión natural más temprana, a través del estrecho de Gibraltar y durante el Pleistoceno Tardío, de las poblaciones norteafricanas (Gaubert et al 2011, Barros et al 2016. De este modo, el aislamiento geográfico habría permitido el desarrollo de importantes diferencias morfológicas entre las poblaciones europeas y africanas, como ya describió Cabrera (1914).…”